Warrior's Grace
by Shezka Foxe
Summary: Once again Fenris flees escaping Kirkwall with his lover Zevran. The betrayal of Hawke fresh in his mind, and a young Tevinter Magister claiming to know him as the elf "Leto" leave Fenris questioning his beliefs. Is love pre-ordained as he thought with Zevran? Or is fate an ironic twist when Danarius's son seeks to bring him home? Sequel to "Assassin's Touch"
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Heads turned as the pair walked past assisting whether they were a danger or not. Most were smart enough not to approach but to leave them alone. Others insisted upon challenging the newcomers in order to see what they had. Many bragged of what they would do upon approaching the two strangely clad elves, but few carried out their claims. Most who came up to the light haired elf were confronted with his dark skinned companion forest green eyes gleaming dangerously in the pale dawn. One man was so brutally beaten up he meekly fled back to his companions who winced at his wounds. After which, other people became cautious of the pair.

Fenris scowled at anyone who came to close. Beside him was his lover, Zevran, whom appeared to be absorbed in decoding a message by squinting down at a piece of parchment. They had landed in Rivain, a small port town called Brendale. Isabela had landed there in order to take on new supplies and to gather information about merchant ships passing near the town. It had been two months since they had fled Kirkwall and at the moment Fenris was doing his best to be patient with his lover.

"Can you hurry it up? Next person is going to be smart enough to have men at his back and then it will be a blood bath. I would rather not commemorate our stay here by being chased out with pitchforks." Fenris snapped at his companion. Zevran furrowed his brow not looking up from his parchment as he walked along the main street. How the assassin managed to not walk straight into a wall with his bent down was beyond the warrior.

"Shush, I'm trying to figure out these directions. I swear, his handwriting has not improved since the last we met! What is this, a Q or an N? How does one even…" Zevran muttered to himself turning the paper sideways as if this would help him. Fenris sighed going to peer over the other elf's shoulder. All he could make out from the parchment was the occasional letter the rest appearing to be chicken scratch to his eyes.

"Should I perhaps be concerned about this friend of yours? You've said nothing of him ever since we landed. Or do you enjoy putting my life in danger?" Fenris snapped. A small smile quirked at the corner of Zevran's lip his eyes flicking up from the parchment to wink as his partner before focusing on the buildings lining the road.

"Ah, no. When you meet them in person you may understand why I hesitate to explain my…friendship with them. That, and I do not wish for anyone to overhear us. So be patient, Lord Fenris, you'll have your answers soon. Ah, here we are! Fool should have just drawn a picture for all the good his letter did me." Zevran complained tucking the parchment into a pouch he kept at his side.

Zevran had received the letter in the last port town about a month ago in the last town. Apparently, the assassin had had time to send a letter before leaving Kirkwall to friends of his in Denerim. As Fenris understood it these people were to replenish his partner with money and supplies for his travels. They had stopped outside an inn aptly named the Shark's Den. Zevran glanced up at the sign that featured a crudely carved shark with an open maw of razor sharp dagger like teeth.

Unfazed by the fearsome sign Zevran didn't even wait before pushing the door open. Fenris sighed wondering about the wisdom of following his partner into such a place. No doubt a major fight would break out sooner or later as he too went in through the dark doorway. It resembled the Hanged Man much in on the inside, except being surprisingly clean. No patrons passed out on the floor to avoid or spilled ale for a person to slip on.

The place was crowded with tables and benches, on the far end a bar. Behind the bar was a bartender, a burly sort of fellow with black tattoos running up and down his arms. There were at least five piercings on his face, not counting the seven on his right ear. Three above his brow and two more on his nose. When the two elves entered the man glanced up his eyes immediately narrowing suspiciously at these two new customers.

Fenris clenched his fists resisting the urge to make his tattoos flare to life. Such a display would have raised far too many questions. Besides, it would be an easy description to follow. _By the way, an elf that lit up like a firefly passed through here. Really? You don't say!_

"Bar's closed, go seek drink elsewhere if you're thirsty." The man said gruffly. He had tanned skin two shades darker than Zevran's own. Undeterred, Zevran walked right up to the bar. Fenris followed close behind him eyeing the shadows for any hidden assailants.

"My good sir, I do not seek sample your vintages. I am, however, in need of a room here. You wouldn't happen to have anything available do you?" Zevran said with a charming smile placing two silver coins on the bar. This got the man's attention who eyed the coin greedily. He coughed putting his rag down to better inspect the coins.

"I dunno, Serah. On such short notice it would be hard to find accommodations for you and your friend here…" The man explained eyeing Fenris with interest. Fenris leered impressively at him thankful for once his appearance was fearsome. At least here in Rivain his dark skin did not make him stand out. If anything, his outlandish appearance helped him to blend in among all these people with body piercings and tattoos.

"Are you quite sure? We're only two elves after all. We wouldn't take up much room." Zevran said now placing another silver coin on the bar. Within the blink of an eye the man's hand flew out snatching up the coins to disappear into a bulging pouch at his side. He grinned at the pair showing off rotten teeth as came out from behind the bar.

"Welcome to the Shark's Den gentlemen! My name is Cal, owner, bartender, and landowner of this fine establishment! Please, follow me so I can show you your rooms." Cal said with sudden enthusiasm. Zevran raised a brow at Fenris who just shook his head in answer. Honestly, it was not surprising how soon someone changed their tune when enough coin is placed upon the table.

Cal led them up a short flight of stairs to the second floor. On either side were several doors going down a long corridor. At the end was a window the shutters open to let in the light. Outside it was beginning to become lighter as the sun rose higher in the sky. Cal took out a key and opened one of the doors, peeking inside for any occupants. Seeing none he pushed the door open wider revealing a simple but clean room.

On one side was an empty basin, on either side were two beds. A desk sat under a grimy window the shutters close and locked to keep out the morning chill. A cold fireplace with ashes still in it was unlit in the room. Fenris spotted a chamber pot in the corner and wrinkled his nose at the thought, going into the room first. At least it was clean unlike the other places they had stayed at. The last inn had had mice living in the bedding it was so old. During that stay Fenris had quite literally opted to sleep in the woods with a thin pallet rather than stay in such disgusting quarters. Zevran had joined him despite the freezing temperatures that signaled winter would soon be coming.

"Now it ain't the palace but you won't find a cleaner place in all of Brendale. Breakfast is served at seven, lunch whenever in the afternoon, and dinner is whatever the elves want to trade in return for some coin. You need anything just call on one of the maids and they'll be happy to help you." Cal said. He gave them a few more instructions as to where they could find the outhouse if they didn't desire to stink up their room. Gave the key to Zevran since he had paid and closed the door.

Silence pervaded the room as Fenris went to push open the shudders. Instantly light and fresh salty sea air flooded the small room. He closed his eyes taking in a deep breath glad to be on still ground for once. Behind him Zevran chuckled going over to one of the beds. He heard a soft sigh as his partner began to remove his armor, dumping it unceremoniously on the nightstand.

"You should keep it on. There's no telling what kind of trouble we'll run into while we're here." Fenris said turning away from the window. Zevran gave him a haggard look but continued to remove his armor, putting both daggers on the table as well beside his breast plate.

"I agree with you, my dear Fenris. Only that knowing my companions they already have the place surrounded."


	2. Old Friends

**Chapter 2**

Fenris narrowed his eyes at this new information as Zevran finished removing the last of his armor. Underneath he wore dark brown trousers and a white cotton shirt. There was a knife strapped to his belt but Fenris knew his lover well. There were probably five others hidden on various parts of his person not visible to the naked eye. Seeing the annoyed look, Zevran only shrugged his shoulders, rising back from the bed and stretching with a soft sigh.

"You need not worry. They are on our side, and doubtless most of the men surrounding this place are under my command. You can choose to leave your armor on if you wish. You look sexier in it anyway." Zevran said to him. Fenris scowled at this, walking over to the smaller elf so he towered over him.

"When were you planning to tell me any of this? Next week? Next _year_? Zevran, you can't keep me in the dark like this. You _have_ to tell me what is going on or else…or else…" Fenris began trailing off. Zevran cocked his head to the side, appearing as if he did not know what his lover spoke of. Fenris found this infuriating to the point where he wanted to shake the other elf like a rag doll. It was also equally frustrating since the damn assassin always got his way when he did it.

"I apologize, Fenris. These are delicate matters and I only wish for you to meet them in person because my relationship with these two are…complicated. If I tried to explain it to you beforehand, you would either think I was cheating on you or I was lying." Zevran answered honestly. Fenris's curiosity was piqued now upon hearing this new explanation. He raised an eyebrow at his lover, this time reaching out to slip an arm around his waist.

"Oh? Do you think you could get away with cheating on me? Do you know what would happen to any person but me who try to lay their hands on you?" Fenris asked him, his voice falling to sultry rumble. Zevran's hazel eyes darkened in response. A slow smirk began to cross his face as he pressed the length of his body against the tattooed warrior's.

"Forget about them for the moment. What would you do to me afterward as punishment?" Zevran purred. Before Fenris could answer, there was a soft knock at the door. Then a second later it opened to reveal…another Zevran?

Fenris had to look down at the elf in his arms then back at the one framed in the doorway. Zevran's twin was dressed in full armor, hair done up in the exact same style as the assassin's. Two braids going by the sides to meet up with a main one in the back. The only difference Fenris could see was the state of dress between the two elves. The replica Zevran's eyes glanced up and down the warrior's body in open appraisal as he licked his lips in response.

"Oh honey, what have we got here? I didn't believe the reports when they said you had a traveling companion with you." Zevran's twin said his voice, much to Fenris's relief, sounding nothing like his lover's. Zevran stepped out of Fenris's embrace, a smile on his face as he went to greet the new arrival.

"Palen! It's been so long, how are you? I was not expecting to see you until later I must say. From your appearance I take it the ruse is still working for you?" Zevran greeted his twin, Palen, who grinned in response. Confused, Fenris kept looking in between the two of them. Side by side he now saw the subtle differences between them. Palen's features were sharper in comparison with Zevran's. His eyes outlined in a subtle coal mixture which helped to highlight his high cheekbones. Palen's hair was also a shade darker than Zevran's, but other than that the two easily looked exactly alike. Spotting his lover's confusion, Zevran stepped back and waved his hand in a grand gesture.

"Fenris, I would like you to meet my doppelganger, Palen Shanji. I met him through Howl believe it or not, and upon our first meeting he quite threatened to have my jewels removed so to speak. But now he has retired his career as a whore and has taken up the new one of pretending to be me." Zevran said with relish. Understanding began to dawn on Fenris' face as he approached Palen, still studying him closely. Palen raised an inquisitive brow at the open scrutiny, but made no comment about it.

"Are you related? I did not know you had any living relatives." Fenris said, his eyes still roving up and down Palen suspiciously. During their time on the ship Zevran had begun to tell him of his past. Of some of his time spent in the Crows, his connection to Rinna, and recently a few of his adventures with the late Howl. Most of the time however Zevran spoke of his travels in the wake of Howl's death which consisted mostly of eluding the Crows and assassinating their guild masters.

"I have no clue if we are, but I highly doubt it. We were both raised in whore houses, though Palen chose to stay with the profession for a time. I was born in Antiva and he in Denerim." Zevran explained, nodding to the other elf. Palen nodded in agreement, stepping into the room as he waved his hand for another person to come in.

"True, true. Unfortunately Zev and I never get to have any fun when he does come to visit me in Denerim. Hurry up, would you? You kept saying how much you missed him." Palen snapped at someone in the hallway.

A second later another person appeared whom, to Fenris's relief, did not look like Zevran. In fact, the man wasn't even an elf but human. He had short spiky black hair and half a day's growth of beard on his chin and cheeks. This man was also muscular, but his muscles didn't bulge unnecessarily. Fenris supposed the man could be called ruggedly handsome in a rough and tumble sort of way. This person Zevran approached with a mixture of deep respect and familiarity which surprised Fenris.

"Taliesin, still alive I see. When do you plan on dying?" Zevran asked the man bluntly. Taliesin scowled, stepping into the room as well as he crossed his arms defiantly over his chest with a look of defiance.

"I'll die the day you start to dress in drag and call yourself 'Princess' Zev! And damn right I'm still alive. It would take more than a couple of fresh recruits to send me to an early grave." Taliesin spat, brushing past the blond elf into the room. Taliesin did a double take when he saw Fenris who narrowed his eyes in response daring him to try anything.

"Whose this? This is the elf you were talking about in your last letter, right? 'Fenris' you said his name was?" Taliesin asked his old friend. Before he could answer Fenris beat him to it.

"Yes, that is my name. And if you still wish to utter it by the end of the day I suggest you accept my presence and get over any objections you may have. Do not act as if I am not here. I am capable of speech and engaging conversation as you can see for yourself." Fenris said, his tone holding a low threat in it. Taliesin balked at this challenge as Palen shot a glare at the tattooed warrior.

"You don't have to be a killjoy about it. Tali was just asking a question." Palen snapped. Zevran's brow furrowed at this exchange as he stepped in between Fenris and his two friends. Without being summoned, several dwarves walked in with various equipment. In less than a minute, they set up a low table with four comfortable chairs for the companions to sit in. The last dwarf out the door politely shut it behind him, leaving the four alone. There was an awkward silence before Zevran pulled out a chair and promptly sat down at the table. Everyone else quickly followed suit, shuffling and murmuring quietly as they settled in.

"I suppose proper introductions are in order." Zevran said glancing at Fenris who sat beside. Fenris returned his gaze daring his lover to say something about his veiled threat earlier. Instead the assassin sighed, shaking his head as he waved hand at Taliesin.

"Taliesin is an old, old friend of mine back when I was with the Crows. Before you ask, yes, he briefly knew Howl who obviously decided not to kill him. Now Taliesin is kind enough to be my eyes and ears within the Crows and informs me of their movements. Any questions?" Zevran asked in a bored tone. Slightly embarrassed, Fenris cleared his throat glancing at his lover almost shyly as he did so.

"What was with the dwarves?"

"Oh, that? Nazda's henchmen, most likely traveling blacksmiths who decided to go topside I think. They were assigned to come along with us to make sure we had all the physical comforts of home as we traveled since we went by land rather than water." Palen answered casually. Fenris blinked, trying to recall the name to memory. He distantly remembered Zevran telling him one time of Nazda being the head of the Carta in Orzammar. The dwarf woman had been a cripple with her bad knees, but Howl had bluntly told her she didn't need knees in order to change things. So, the woman had become the head of the Carta in the wake of the death of the previous leader Jarvia.

"How is she by the way? I have heard rumors that she is beginning to take over the Coterie?" Zevran inquired. This time Palen grinned at the assassin, showing off a mouthful of pearly white teeth as he did.

"You heard right, Zev. She's also been working on Dust Town while you've been gone. Seems the casteless aren't begging on the street anymore for coin. She's got the place running like a real town now. Even dwarves from other castes go down there from time to time to look for, shall we say, ill begotten items? Nazda has a real nice setup down in the old mines. Says you should visit sometime when you get the chance. She even has a wine collection from all over Thedas and Ferelden if you're interested." Palen answered with relish, his eyes sparking as he said this. A wide grin split Zevran's face at the news as he threw back his head and laughed, tears coming to his eyes.

"Ah, she never gives up, does she? I shall have to visit her soon then. Or else she will try to have me kidnapped again." Zevran commented. A look of alarm passed over Fenris's face but his lover waved his hand meaning they would discuss it later.

"Down to business, then. Did you bring me what I asked for?" Zevran stated. Palen took something from his belt, tossing a bulging pouch that clinked promisingly as it landed on the table.

Zevran reached out and pulled the bag towards him, opening it up. Inside the pouch was filled to bursting with gold sovereigns. Fenris stared bug eyed at the small fortune, never having seen so much coin in his life except when he had been with Hawke. And now Hawke was probably either dead or on the run with Anders. He had heard the news of what happened in Kirkwall and couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction knowing Anders may have betrayed his lover. Maybe it would open Hawke's eyes to whom he should trust and the mistake he had made in betraying his best friend to a magister of Tevinter.

"I don't need this much. I'll be robbed on the highway if I'm carrying this around. I asked you to bring me an _assortment_ of coin not the whole damn treasury." Zevran complained, closing the pouch. Palen and Taliesin glanced at each other as if silently blaming the other for the error. Both shrugged at the same time and returned their attention to their friend.

"Then don't go around flashing gold, honey. You'll be fine I'm sure. We also brought your new armor, equipment, potions, and horses for travel. Am I forgetting anything?" Palen asked, looking to Taliesin for clarification. Taliesin coughed, clearing his throat as he reached down and pulled something out of his tunic. It was several pieces of parchment folded together which he slid across the table to Zevran who promptly picked them up.

"This is from, uh, the family. They said they missed you, wonder when you're coming back and all to visit. When they asked me I said, ah, said you were busy making sure they were safe." Taliesin explained, struggling for words. Fenris snuck a peek at the parchments and saw they were actually letters with different forms of handwriting. He saw a hurt look pass over Zevran's face before folding the letters back up and pushing them back across the table.

"Keep these safe for me, will you? I don't want to lose them while I'm on the road." Zevran said quietly. Taliesin quietly accepted the letters again and slid them back into their hiding place.

Fenris tried to listen to the friends talk, every now and then putting in his own comments. However, he found himself beginning to tune them out as they continued, apparently oblivious to the fourth member of the group. Eventually, news of certain estates and profit, who was doing well and who wasn't, was brought up and discussed. Plans made and orders given for so-and-so to do. Finally, Taliesin and Palen rose to both shake hands with Zevran, inviting him to come see them later that day for a pint. Taliesin gave Fenris an odd expression, but said nothing as he wished the dark warrior good bye. Palen bade Fenris good-bye as well, but refused to shake his hand instead turning on his heel and exiting the room.

By that time, it was already bright outside. In the other rooms Fenris could hear the other patrons beginning to stir as they awoke to a new day. The dwarfs had come back in to retrieve the table, but Zevran sent them away stating they might as well leave it there. While his companion sat at the table counting coin and separating it so his pouch didn't jingle overly much Fenris reached out and took a handful of the gleaming coin.

"Going to the brothel?" Zevran asked with a raised brow as the gold disappeared into his lover's pouch. Fenris scowled at him, going to open the door to leave.

"No, I'm going to get a drink."


	3. Darius

**Chapter 3**

Two hours and several mugs of ale later left Fenris pleasantly feeling as if he were floating on clouds. The world around him had taken on a sort of hazy reality making him feel as if he were smothered by a warm blanket. Stumbling out of the inn, he wondered why he had been so tense before. He must have imagined the way Palen sneered at him behind Zevran's back as he left the room. Fenris chuckled at this notion as he nearly avoided being brained by a cart going past him. The driver yelled at him as he went past, causing Fenris to curse loudly back at the man in Tevinter.

"People should look where they're going. Bloody sods." Fenris growled to himself as he staggered past a couple of elves standing around a shop, heads bent over an item. As he stumbled past them, one of them raised his head brow furrowed in displeasure. The elf's face had tattoos curling around his face and eyes in a sort of animal print, disappearing down the neck of his shirt. The rest of the group raised their heads as well, all fixing Fenris with scathing looks.

Normally, Fenris would have returned their cold glares and continued on his business. But months of being on a ship with a horny pirate women, sex deprived seamen trying to sleep with his lover, (who didn't help by teasing them incessantly), and owning to the fact said lover also happened to be a secret rich noble had been enough to make Fenris irrational. Not to mention alcohol had done a wonderful job of impairing his judgment at this point.

"What? Never seen one of your own drunk before?" Fenris snapped, slurring the words as he said them. The head elf, the one with the leopard print tattoo on his face, scowled shaking a fist at the dark warrior.

"You could have the respect to do it in private, friend. Where is your tribe? Come, we will help you back home." The elf said, reaching out to him. Momentarily thinking he was being attacked, Fenris deftly smacked the offered hand away. The elf blinked in surprised stepping back ,when Fenris took another swing at him. Behind him, another elf that had seemed to have a tattoo consisting of a bird wing on each cheekbone glared at him.

"Friend! Enough, you are not yourself with this, this _demon_ drink! Where is your tribe, brother? I have never seen the likes of you here." The elf insisted gently. Fenris's mind suddenly managed to catch up with his impaired logic as he gaped at the elf in front of him.

"Tribe?"

"Yes, you are Dalish are you not? I recognize your tattoos, my friend, but I have never seen their like before. Which tribe do you hale from?" The elf with wing tattoos insisted.

"I'm not Dalish!" Fenris snapped, backing away from the elf. The group as one began to press forward all trying to reassure him at once.

Fenris snarled, feeling trapped as his back hit a wall. He reached up and drew his sword, willing his tattoos to life. All at once the Dalish elves departed, swiftly turning on their heels and fleeing the scene. Confused, Fenris stood there, gaping after them at their retreating backs. They had fled like a flock of frightened birds leaving Fenris to wonder what he had done. Were they really such cowards? No, the Dalish were renowned for killing any who threatened them, unless this particular batch were nothing more than cowards. As he placed Mercy away, a shout caught his attention that chilled him to the bone.

"Magister Danarius! Magister, we have found the elf! He's here, Magister, here!"

He could not say who had uttered the accursed name, but Fenris didn't wait to see who it was. Fear feeding him, Fenris fled through the streets, not caring where he went. He silently cursed himself for having deciding to drink himself into a stupor. Zevran had stayed in the room, having to write up reports and letters in response to people working under him. Not wanting to stay inside the room alone with the Antivan, Fenris had gone to drink and forget the growing agitation building in his gut. The drink also helped to hide his unease at finding out his lover was in fact a Ferelden noble.

Finding no immediate place to hide, Fenris darted down an alley way. He heard the slap of boots on stone as his pursuers followed him. Fenris weaved and dodged in the back allies, avoiding piles of rubbish as he vaulted a low fence in his path. He landed in a small garden, startling a maid who was out hanging the laundry.

The woman screeched, falling back in surprise and spilling the bathwater. Fenris skidded in the water, nearly slipping on it as he dashed across the garden, grabbing the edge of the fence and vaulting over that as well. Two more fence hops left him at the edge of the coast, the beach stretching out below him. Shouts still sounding behind him Fenris skidded and slipped down the hillside landing with a grunt on the sand below. He cursed himself as he limped back to his feet, continuing his blind flight along the beach. Why the hell hadn't he just gone back to the Shark's Den? Zevran would have been more than happy to dispatch a cell of henchmen to kill his pursuers. But no, he had to drink and get himself bloody chased.

But why was Danarius alive? He had killed the magister, he knew he had. Fenris had felt the delicate muscle of Danarius's heart pop like a grape in his hand. It was almost too easy, how the magister had died. Unable to use any magic since his mage gift had been taken away. Ahead of him he heard another shout and soon a group of armed guards appeared in his path brandishing weapons as they hissed at him.

"You go no further, elf! Stand down and maybe, _maybe_ we won't cut off your ears." One of the guards sneered, chuckling at the idea. Fenris growled, baring his teeth as he backed up, reaching up to draw his sword. Above him he heard a soft twang and a second later an arrow landed at his feet. He looked up and saw several archers above the hillside he had just slid down onto the beach. There had to be at least ten of them arrows nocked and pointing directly at his heart. Fenris faltered, his hand slipping away from his sword. How had they found him?

"Alright, elf, hands where I can see them! You are property of the late Tevinter Magister Danarius, and were here to take you back. Fetch a nice price, you will, if the son decides he doesn't want you. We can get a good price if we sell you to the mines or breeders. Not good for much else, are you?" The guard chuckled.

Fenris's ears pricked at this latest news. _Late_? So Danarius was dead, but he could have sworn he heard them cry his deceased master's name earlier. If not Danarius, then who…?

"Put down your weapons! No one touch him!" Shouted another voice, full of command. There was an uneasy ripple throughout all the guards as they began to look at one another talking quietly. A moment later one of the archers cried out as a magic blast knocked him off his feet and sent him flying several feet to land heavily on one of the guards below. Both men went down in a tangle of limbs cursing and yelling as they tried to right themselves.

"I said _STAND DOWN!_ The next person gets their head blown off." Said the voice. Immediately the men lowered their weapons, fear evident on their faces. Now that his head was cleared from the adrenaline rush, Fenris thought the voice sounded like that of a young man. Not too deep, but a slight tremble to it as if still getting used from the transition of boyhood into manhood. There was a general shuffle as the men in front of him suddenly parted, revealing a mage.

But it wasn't Danarius. This mage, for one, was much younger. He had to be only a few years younger than Hawke, possibly the same age, Fenris guessed. The young man had a handsome and youthful face, dark grey eyes the color of storm clouds on the horizon. He had short black hair sleeked back in a fashion similar to Danarius's. Except for a few small strands that had managed to escape and hung on the side of his face. He had soft lips that were pressed in a thin line, clearly displeased. The young man still had the slightly rounded cheeks of a boy, but his presence dared any to defy him.

"Magister Darius, serah! This is him, isn't it? The elf with white hair is the one you've been looking for, isn't it?" One of the guards asked meekly. Understanding dawned on Fenris as he heard the name. So his name was _Darius_, he must have misheard his name and thought it was _Danarius_.

Darius glared at the man, his staff beginning to glow. Electricity arched between the curved dragon heads at its top. The man jumped at the crackle of it as Darius loomed over him. It was kind of funny, actually, despite the situation. The mage was no taller than Fenris himself, but clearly wasn't going to be schooled by one of his own men.

"Leave us. Here is your reward." Darius said, reaching underneath his robe. A moment later, his hand reappeared tossing a bag of coin at the man's feet. The hireling spluttered something, but when Darius raised his staff the men beat a hasty retreat. Within seconds they were alone, Fenris watching the magister warily.

So, this was the son of Danarius? The young man looked nothing like his father, except for perhaps the hair style. When the mage turned back around, his eyes held that same cold determination Fenris remembered only ever seeing in Hawke. He tensed, ready to fly forward to activate his tattoos, imagining plunging his fist into this newest threat and crush his heart like he had all the others.

Instead, once the men were gone Darius's eyes softened. A smile broke across the mage's face, making his features light up as he came towards the dark elf. Arms held out as if welcoming an old friend.

"Leto, are you alright?"


	4. Magister

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Reviews would be very much appreciated. I know the fic is just geting off the ground but if there aren't any reviews on the story, then I think people aren't bothering to read it. If I think people aren't bothering to read it, then I'll delete the story and start a new one. Nothing long, a one sentence saying "Oh, I loved your story!" "Awesome!" or "When will you update?" LOL Any are appreciated I can assure you._

TO JUDY: _Please don't keep posting the same review over and over again. I do appreciate your continued support, I do, but posting the same word over and over again I have begun to wonder if it wasn't an automated e-mailing system or something. I'm not trying to be rude, and thank you for the reviews._

Alarm bells went off in Fenris's head as the mage approached him. Clearly, Fenris reasoned, either (option A) he had drunk enough to hallucinate this or (option B) he was having a strange nightmare in which Danarius' son liked him. The last option (that damnable C), and his least favorite, was that this mage clearly knew him from before he had received the markings. By the mage's actions, he was protective, or possessive, of him and trusted him. Did Darius think he would not kill him?

"Back away, mage. I don't know you." Fenris said warily, finally drawing his sword. Darius stopped in his tracks, giving him a curious expression. The mage crossed his arms, staff dangling from one hand as he stared at the elf. It was infuriating how calm the mage was in his appearance. Anyone else would watch him with a wary eye or a suspicious glance.

"You can drop the act, Leto. Father is dead you can come home now. It's safe, I promise." Darius said, taking another step forward. Fenris activated his tattoos, raising his sword again to keep the spell caster at a distance. A growl echoed through his throat as he dared the young man to come closer.

"As I said, _magister_, I do not know you. I have never met you a day in my life. You are Danarius' son, are you not?" Fenris asked warily. A pained expression crossed the mage's face at this denial. Fenris felt something…what was it? He felt _guilty_ for hurting this mage! And yet, there was a strange familiarity to his face and actions. Unlike other mages, this one he felt drawn to, but he didn't know why.

"Yes, Danarius is my father. I thought he was lying when he said you had forgotten me, but I suppose he told the truth for once. I'm sorry, Leto, for what happened to you. But he's dead now, has been for three months. Come home, please?" Darius coaxed as if speaking to a wild animal. The odd thing was Fenris wanted to say yes. Suspecting blood magic, he tightened his grip on the sword, willing himself to slay the mage.

"Enough! Stop with your blood magic, I'm no fool! Search elsewhere for your entertainment, mage! You won't find it here." Fenris snarled. digging his feet into the sand. One swift blow was all it would take. Darius was alone; he had scared off his men. Darius drew himself up to his full height, glaring at the elf across from him.

"I'm no weak mage to use blood magic! Besides, I'm not _seeking_ entertainment you bastard! I've been looking for you ever since you escaped at Seheron! I mean you no harm, Leto, I don't! We're friends, have been since the day we were both born. Well, I have anyway. You're a few days older." Darius said, trailing off on this line of thought. Fenris' hands shook as he gripped the hilt of his sword. He should kill the damned mage now, before he could do anything. Yet, Darius spoke the truth. There was no burn of blood magic upon his skin or in his mind. He would have been able to tell if he were being manipulated. Magic always left an uneasy feeling on his skin when it was used near him, even healing.

Darius was using no magic whatsoever. In fact, he showed no fear whatsoever in confronting him. And he had called him by that name. Leto. The only person who had ever said that was Varania. And she had betrayed him.

"Who's my sister?" Fenris snapped at the mage. Darius blinked at the question, but answered none the less.

"Varania. Your mother's name was Vivian, but I called her Auntie. Your father's name was Shin, but I never knew him and neither did you or Varania. Your favorite food to eat is apples or anything with apples in it. You hate fish because they creep you out and you're scared of kiwi fruit because you think it's unnatural for fruit to have 'fur' on it." Darius said, rolling his eyes as if he had recited this. Fenris paused, the name of his mother sparking something in his mind. Vivian… A brief flash of an elven woman with burgundy hair and soft brown eyes smiling down at him crossed his mind. A sense of peace and warmth filled Fenris for a moment. Then vanished the next second, leaving him feeling cold on the inside.

He stared Darius, at a complete loss for words. Should he still kill him? No, the mage had spoken the truth about some things. He did, as a matter of fact, like apples. It was true he didn't like fish. The way they moved and flapped about, how they smelled after they had died. The stink alone made him gag and on a pirate ship he had been more than willing to skip a few meals with the accursed beast in it. Fried, boiled, cooked, or otherwise; he refused to eat it. With a grunt, he lowered the sword, letting the tip rest on the sand as he regarded the mage.

"How do you I know you just didn't make that up?" Fenris asked carefully. Darius raised an eyebrow, but a grin split his face.

"Because, whenever we went down to the river or the market you seemed to be under the impression I needed to know how gross fish were every five seconds. And once I brought kiwi fruit to you, because it was sweet and you flipped out. I couldn't even get you in the same room with it without you pointing at it and yelling that it would grow legs and attack you." Darius said with a shake of his head.

_That's because you kept making weird animal sounds behind my back when you started to cut it!_

Fenris felt a shiver go down his spine when he heard the voice in his head. A small trickle of memory came to him, of him and this Darius arguing over the piece of fruit. The warm feeling from earlier returned, warming his soul along with a sense of belonging. But, just as quickly, it fled, replaced with the heat of rage. Fenris bared his teeth at the mage and began to advance on him. A look of astonishment came over Darius's face as he began to give ground, spluttering and unable to comprehend what had happened to warrant such a hostile reaction.

Fenris gritted his teeth, hefting his sword up with a war cry. How could he be so foolish?! To think even for an instant this mage, this _magister _had ever meant anything to him? He was the son of Danarius! A filthy blood mage to be killed and quartered for the Templars to drag back to the Chantry. When he was through with him, there would be nothing but bones for mongrels to gnaw on.

_No, Darius! Get back before he-_

_Leto, come back! Just throw him off! LETO!_

Fenris stopped, swaying on his feet, unseeing for a few seconds as images flooded his mind's eye. Brief flashes of reaching out to Darius, screaming at him to run. Thinking he would be killed he tried to follow him into that dark room they were dragging him off too. Just as suddenly they were gone leaving Fenris feeling nauseated and sick. He shot a glare at Darius, gritting his teeth as he let out another war cry as he charged, Mercy held above his head.

Darius's eyes widened in shock at the attack, but the magister didn't wait. Spinning on his heel Darius fled, kicking up sand as he flew down the beach away from the elf pursuing him. Fenris tasted the tang of blood on his tongue as he roared, going after the magister. This more than proved his point, he was sure of it! Mages were nothing but cowards and this one was no different. To think, he had almost fallen for the ploy.

Fenris chased Darius down the beach as the mage dashed along the edge of the cliff that steadily lead above them. With each three steps Darius took Fenris gained up on him by one. Finally, when he was only within three yards of the mage, Darius spun in the sand taking a sharp right. A cloud of sand was kicked up by his feet, his robes billowing out as he darted into a small cave in the cliff-side. Fenris followed only a few steps behind as he came into the cave at top side. A second later, he heard a shout as net was thrown over him from above.

Fenris snarled, reaching up with his gauntlets to try and slash through the net. He only managed in getting his wrist and arm tangled as he dropped his sword. Fenris cursed, reaching up with his other hand to try and tear the trap off with brute strength. The netting was stronger than he expected as only a few threads snapped from his efforts. Several men were shouting around him, at least five leaping forward and tackling him to the ground. Fenris roared liked a wild animal, thrashing as he tried to escape. One man grasped his legs swiftly, wrapping the remaining netting around the dark elf to prevent him from standing up. Fenris vainly tried to kick or move his arms, but his spiked armor further hampered his efforts. Parts of the net had snagged on the spikes, causing him to have his left arm bent at an odd angle while his right was pressed against his side.

"Damn elf doesn't know when he give up, does he?" One of the men said with a gruff voice, standing up. Fenris growled low in his throat, his eyes sparking as he glared at the man from the ground, his teeth bared like a wolf's. The man smirked at him, spitting on the elven warrior as he turned to Darius.

"Sorry, Serah, but he's been an awful lot more trouble than you first told us he would be. I'm afraid you're gonna have to pay a little bit extra if you want your elf in one piece." The man said, clearly the leader of the group. The man grinned at the magister, showing half rotten teeth in his mouth. Fenris went rigid, his nostrils flaring as his situation began to slowly sink in. He had been captured by a Tevinter Magister. To think, he had escaped Danarius all these years only to be captured by his son. And by such a simple tactic as well! Normally he would have never fallen for such a simple trap, but he hadn't been paying attention to where he was going, only focused on killing the mage. Now he would pay price for his foolishness.

"I never told you to capture him. I paid you to hold him off and lead him to the edge of the coast. Not _this_." Darius hissed at the mercenaries. All around him the men erupted into loud guffaws at being threatened by a mage. Fenris's tattoos blazed, wishing nothing more than to drive his fist into their chests. If he hadn't been bound by the damn net they would all be regretting having captured him by now.

"Sorry, _magister_ but you been enough trouble for us! Attacking my men, flinging us about with your blood magic, and then you go and start flinging spells at us for doing at our jobs! You owe us or else we're selling this pretty thing back to the Senate." The man threatened, shaking his fist at Darius.

Fenris saw from his position Darius' knuckles turn white as he gripped his staff. His lips were pressed in a thin line as he narrowed his eyes at the man. Fenris felt the charge in the air as the mage summoned magic to the edge of his fingertips, ready to be shaped to his will. He gritted his teeth as he felt the familiar prickle of magic along the edges of his markings, refusing to voice his fear as he felt the power radiating from the magister. The only other mage to hold such power he had known were Anders and Danarius, but Darius was formidable even with the two combined. He was a true magister of the Imperium and being a young man made him even deadlier.

"You seek to command _me, _do you?" Darius whispered, a sadistic grin spreading across his face. The men stopped in their mocking to look uneasily at each other, doubt clear in their eyes. Fenris resisted the urge to laugh despite his current position. He was almost hysterical, biting the tip of his tongue to keep from cracking up. Darius sounded so much like his father when he said that, he would not have been surprised if the late Danarius had stepped out of the shadows to torment him.

"Y-y-yes, you owe us more coin! Now pay up, magister, or the elf gets it." The man threatened; his voice quivering as he spoke. Darius's smirk widened as he locked gazes with the man, raising his staff, the edges sparking as he prepared to cast a spell.

"You should have never threatened me nor him. Now you'll regret for treating Leto like a slave." Darius hissed, just as a lightning bolt arched from his staff towards the man's chest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When the bolt hit, the mercenary captain was flung back at least ten feet before landing with a sickening crunch in the sand. All around Fenris, the rest of the men erupted into action shouting curses and threats as they charged the mage. Darius almost lazily raised his hand, sending five men back head over heels to follow their captain. One of them landed on his head and Fenris heard a wet snap. The man's fellows rose shaking to their feet, but their comrade did not rise again. Fenris felt hysterical laughter bubbling up his throat again, but bit the inside of his cheek. The less attention Darius had on him the better.

One of the men, a rogue favoring daggers managed to escape Darius's previous attacks and pierce through his defenses. The man flew forward and slashed at the magister's neck. Darius saw the man just in time, quickly whirling out of reach and catching the dagger on the sleeve of his robe. There was a ripping sound as the cloth tore under the sharp blade. Darius hefted up his staff, stabbing the sharpened blade on the end into the man's eye socket causing him to cry out. Blood and clear liquid poured down the man's face as Darius twisted the staff for extra measure before yanking it out. The guard fell to his knees clawing at his pierced eye, the uninjured one rolling in its socket from the pain.

While the mercenaries and mage battled, Fenris continued to struggle vainly in his bindings. On occasion he would be kicked in the stomach, in the back, or stepped on as one of the men rushed past him to have a chance at Darius. He snarled and arched his back managing, to bite of his would be tormentor on the ankle. The man cried out, spinning around pulling his foot back to kick Fenris in the face. Fenris tried to curl up to take the brunt of the blow on his shoulders, but again the blade of the staff whipped out, slashing the man across the face. The blade caught his attacker's cheek cutting through until it reached his mouth and came out the other end. Now the top half of man's cheek hung limply while the bottom half flapped about, spurting blood as the man tried to talk, staggering away with tears in his eyes from the pain.

In a billow of robes, Darius was crouched over Fenris's prone form. He held his staff lengthwise, ready to cut down anyone who dared to approach. His arm was held out in an attempt to shield the vulnerable elf beneath him, fingers spread and glowing with his mage gift. Fenris craned his head to get a better look at the mage, his jaw dropping in astonishment. What was he doing?! Danarius had thought him valuable, but not to the point where he would risk his own life in order to preserve him.

"You'd best leave before I summon my Shades." Darius hissed. The remaining men didn't even wait for orders as they quickly fled the scene. A few stopped to drag their injured and dead away, casting fearful looks over their shoulders at the raging magister.

Within moments, all was quiet in the small cave. Fenris had been ambushed in the entrance so plenty of light came in. Above him, he heard Darius panting from the battle lurching to the side to kneel glancing at the trapped elf beside him. He was covered head to toe in blood, and Fenris couldn't tell if any of it was the mage's. Darius glanced at him, red smeared on his cheeks like bad makeup as he took another shuddering breath, gently propping his staff against the wall. With shaking hands, Darius reached beneath his shredded robes, withdrawing a small sharp knife from his belt as he nodded to Fenris.

"Sorry about them, Leto. I didn't mean for them to… I'm sorry. Here, hold still while I cut you free." Darius said quietly, gently as he reached down towards Fenris. Fenris's eyes blazed as he glared at the magister, but he held still. He had no choice. For the first time since Danarius, he was at the complete mercy of a mage.

Darius started near Fenris's head, lifting up a bit of the net and beginning to saw at it. The net easily gave way under the knife as Darius worked, eventually freeing Fenris's head and shoulders. Within ten minutes of steady work, Fenris was able to move his right arm and then his left. A sigh of relief escaped him as he moved his left arm around, stretching it and feeling as if his bones were creaking from the unnatural position of being twisted behind his back. He massaged his wrists as well, watching with a wary eye as Darius continued to work, his head bent down concentrating on his task. It would be so easy, Fenris thought, to just reach over and break his neck.

_No, Darius, you should leave. Before he hurts you._ Again, his own voice inside his head, but it sounded different. An odd timbre to it Fenris couldn't place.

Finally, his legs were unbound and free of the netting. Fenris got his feet underneath him, staggering to his feet as he leaned against the wall. His legs had fallen asleep from being bound so tightly. Fenris felt sharp pinpricks as blood began to flow properly to his legs again as he leaned against the wall, watching Darius. The mage was still bent over the net, freeing Mercy as well, huffing and puffing as he dragged it free. Fenris made no move to help as Darius shoved the great sword away with the sigh, flinging the netting back against the wall carelessly.

"That's a Sword of Mercy. Where did you get one? I only remember ever seeing the ones father had, but those were never used. He just kept them on display." Darius said, his voice calm though clearly exhausted from working so much magic.

Now would be the perfect time, Fenris thought, to kill the mage. Yet Darius didn't appear to be alarmed in his presence. Unless he was completely mad and the mage had completely forgotten the elf standing only a few feet away from him meant to kill him. Deciding to test the waters, Fenris cleared his throat raspy from being choked by the ropes.

"You must be either very confident or very foolish." Fenris rumbled. Darius looked at up at him in surprise from where he knelt examining the sword. He blinked, raising a brow at the comment.

"I've been told it's part of my charm. It's not that I'm confident, Leto, I know full well you want to attack me." Darius replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Fenris's brow furrowed as he glared at the mage.

"So then you are a fool?"

"Neither, I trust you."

Fenris was pulled up short at that last comment. To cover his confusion, he coughed, hitting his chest as if to clear his lungs. Darius stood up, managing to make the sword stand upright with a grunt, balancing the edge in the sand. Fenris reached out and grasped the hilt, pulling the sword out of Darius's grasp. Instead of lifting it, however, he just stood there with a quarter of the blade sunk into the sand as he watched the magister. Darius met his unwavering gaze with his own as if daring him to ask another question. So Fenris did.

"Do you practice blood magic?" Fenris asked, his tone wary but curious. He was willing to listen to what this mage had to say since Darius _had_ just risked his life to save him from his own hired men. Darius kept eye contact with him as he answered.

"Rarely, but yes I do practice and know blood magic. Unlike other mages, however, I don't sacrifice people to fuel my spells." Darius answered calmly. Fenris's eye twitched at the answer mulling the words over. _He said people, not slaves._

"Do you consider slaves people in the Imperium?" Fenris snapped before he could think. At this Darius looked annoyed, shooting a glare at him.

"For your information, I _do_ consider _slaves _to be _people_. I use animal sacrifices to fuel my spells not innocent lives. What kind of monster do you take me for?" Darius growled right back. Taken aback, Fenris didn't even wait before continuing.

"Do you even know what it means to be a magister in the Imperium? If I remember correctly Danarius sacrificed a little boy just to impress the Senate. How would they approve of a magister practicing blood magic with animal sacrifices rather than those of… People." Fenris said, not wishing to use the word "slave" again. This time he received a pointed look from Darius as if he were stupid.

"Trust me, Leto, you'd be surprised what you can accomplish with a small bag filled with red paint and a small knife you give to a person and tell them to stab the bag when you begin to 'cast' a spell. I have an animal hidden such as a pig or a goat in one of the secret tunnels behind the wall. It's really not that hard." Darius said plainly. Fenris' ears pricked at this bit of news. Despite knowing he was now talking to a blood mage, his interest had been piqued. Giving the mage a wary glare, he straightened up pulling away from the wall as his grip tightened on the hilt of his sword.

"Goats and pigs?"

"Yes, they're drugged beforehand so they don't make any noise or feel any pain. A few hours later that same animal is served up on a platter for the Senate to eat. Ask anyone in Tevinter and they'll tell you I'm the most ruthless mage next to my father." Darius said, winking at him. Fenris stared at him, at a loss for words as the mage grinned tiredly at him. It was as if they were sharing a secret joke. In a way, Fenris did think it was funny. A definite secretive way to get back at the magisters by serving them their own wretched spells.

"That doesn't make it right. You're still using blood magic." Fenris grunted. Darius chuckled at this, causing the elf to tense, but Darius just grinned tiredly at him.

"Yes, as you've told me many times, Leto. Which is why I don't go around flinging those spells everywhere I go. But in order for a magister to survive in Tevinter, I do have to practice it on occasion. Especially now since father died. I suddenly have estates to manage and two hundred more mouths to feed." Darius said with a sigh.

Fenris growled, his markings coming back to life. Darius looked at him in alarm, but didn't flee this time. He held his ground as he watched the dark elf. Fenris narrowed his eyes menacingly at the mage, expecting him to summon Shades as he had threatened earlier. Darius did nothing of the sort, only watching him with an open wariness of one used to dealing with wild animals.

"You do know I killed Danarius, do you not? And for the final time, I'm not _Leto_. I'm _Fenris_. I don't remember you. So stop acting as if you and I are old friends." Fenris snarled in warning. Darius's face went slack at his words, a flicker of sorrow showing in his eyes. But the mage cleared his throat, crossing his arms.

"I knew as much. Varania told me what happened. I just didn't…I didn't want you to feel I was accusing you of being a murderer. Father deserved his fate and his death was swift. That was more than he ever deserved." Darius said with a shake of his head. The young magister glanced at the entrance to the cave, his grey eyes turning silver in the afternoon light. His black hair was tousled from the fight, standing up in every direction.

"You've been in contact with Varania?" Fenris said quietly. Darius closed his eyes as if exhausted, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he answered the question.

"Listen, Le-I mean Fenris. This isn't the best place to discuss this. Why don't we…meet later? There's a small hut about an hour's walk from here down the coast. I'm staying there and it's well hidden so no one will see us. Meet me there tonight if you want and I'll tell you as much as I know. If not…Well, it's still good to see you again after all these years. Even if you don't remember me." Darius said tiredly.

Dusting off his shredded robes, Darius straightened them into a semblance of order as he reached for his staff. Fenris tensed, waiting for another ambush to come out of hiding. Half suspecting a dozen mages would leap out and bind him. Nothing happened though as Darius trudged out of the cave, his staff dragging in the sand. It left a line behind it that wavered at irregular intervals as if trying to break away from its current path, but unable too. Forced to go in the same direction no matter what save from the times it could try to diverge by going side to side. Fenris felt much the same way now about his current situation as he watched Darius walk away. He had to fight an urge to create a second set of footprints following that line.

…

**LETO'S PAST**

"You're such a fool."

"You're an idiot.

"Wizard."

"Nug humper.

"Spell caster."

"Andraste lover."

"Mage!"

"Knife ear!"

"DARIUS! LETO!" Both boys flinched automatically at the sound of Leto's mother, Vivian, yelling at them. The elven woman stormed around the corner, her green eyes blazing dangerously as she glared down at her charge and her son. Both were ten and beginning to get into more trouble than they were worth, but were still properly cowed when Vivian's voice turned sharp. She sighed, spotting the splatter of ink on the carpet and the continuing slow drip from Darius's desk. Tsking, she used the rag she had to wipe away some of the ink from the desk. She had been in the process of scrubbing a pot when she heard the boys beginning to argue.

"Now tell me, what happened here?" Vivian said patiently. Both boys glared at each other as if they were about to get into a scuffle. Vivian tried not to laugh at them since Leto's snow white hair was stained with ink. They were good friends, brothers almost by the way they always played together. Danarius had no interest in his only son, ignoring the boy in order to lavish attention on his newest apprentice, Hadriana. A disturbed little girl whom Vivian made a point of avoiding due to her cruel nature. She hoped Master Danarius got rid of her soon despite the girl's magical talent.

"Leto won't clean up the ink! I ordered him too, but he won't do it!" Darius said, flinging his arms wide open as if it were a matter of politics. Leto glared at his friend, balling his hands up into fists as he shook one at the mage child.

"You spilled it! Why should I have to clean it up? Mom, tell him he has to clean up his own mess. Varania and I have to, right?" Leto said, looking to his mother for clarification. Vivian stopped, glancing at Darius with a mixture of horror. She swallowed as she glanced at her only son.

"Go get a bucket of water and lye, Leto. We need to clean it up before it stains." Vivian said quietly to her son. Leto narrowed his green eyes at this, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"But he-"

"Do it, don't argue with me. I'll help you." Vivian said. Leto shot his friend a glare before stalking off to retrieve the items. Darius had the smug look on his face of a child knowing he had won a fight. Taking a deep breath, Vivian looked down at her master's son wondering if she wouldn't be beaten later for this.

"Darius, where did you learn that word?"

"What word?"

"The one you called Leto before I came in."

"You mean 'knife ear'?"

"Yes."

"Hadriana says that to all the elves. She said they are different from us and we have to put them in their place." Darius recited in the obedient way only children can. Vivian felt her breath shudder as she covered her mouth stifling a sob. Anger bloomed as well in her chest, choking her as she wished she could smack that horrible little girl. Concern flitted over Darius's face, his earlier victory forgotten as he tugged on her skirts.

"Auntie? Are you okay?"

"Darius, 'knife ear' is a bad word. Leto can't be your friend anymore if you call him that." Vivian said, catching sight of her son coming around the corner lugging the bucket by himself. Sudden inspiration came to her as she looked down at the mage child.

"Why not?"

"Because, it will make him sad. Would you want to be friends with someone who called you names all the time and forced you to clean up the mess they made when they know they should clean it themselves?" Vivian asked Darius patiently. She tried not to laugh at the alarm that crossed the child's face as this realization set in.

"No! I would hate that person! Leto would beat them up if they tried to do anything like that." Darius stated loudly, panic evident in his tone. Vivian sighed, but leaned down and kissed Darius on top of the head. Well, he almost understood what she had been getting at.

"Then why don't you go tell Leto sorry and _ask _him to help you clean up the ink?" Vivian suggested. Darius nodded, completely seriousness as if the task he had been given had his life depending on it.

In a blink, Darius ran to his friend. He ran so fast, in fact, that he ended up knocking over not only the elf, but the pail of water as well. Leto yelped as he and Darius went down, ending up sitting right on his butt, water soaking the both of them. Vivian covered her mouth, stifling the laughter in her throat as her young charge began to profusely apologize to his friend and explain to him what he had just learned. It was always cute to see how methodically Darius explained things to his friend who would nod seriously, paying avid attention. In fact, Vivian suspected her son may be smarter than the mage child, but Leto never said anything as much to Darius.

"So, I'm sorry. Do you understand?" Darius asked seriously. Leto blinked, appearing unfazed by this notion.

"Sure. I'm sorry too." Leto replied. Darius hesitated then a blush graced his cheeks as he looked almost shyly at his friend whom he had known for a decade.

"Hey, Leto?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you to, Darius."

Vivian felt the laughter die in her throat as Darius leaned forward, unabashed as he kissed his friend right on the lips. Leto did the same as well as if this were an ever day occurrence, getting up from the water and offering his friend a hand to help him up. She knew she should have gone over and punished them for what they had done. Should have told them monsters would eat them if they kissed like that again. But how did one explain to children the intricacies of the Tevinter Imperium? How could she tell them when they grew older, one would be forced to bear the whims of the other? She turned her back to their innocent child laughter, burying her face in her apron as cried silently.


	6. For Argument's Sake

**Chapter 6**

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _There may be a few grammar errors in this chapter. Usually, I would wait for my beta to correct the chapter then send it back to me. But, lately, I've been a bit down and I know many of my loyal readers have been waiting for this next chapter. I wanted to thank you for your patience and for all the reviews last chapter. They really made my day. ^_^_

_Also, I took up another project as well. It's called "Mon Glutton" which is French for "My Wolverine." It is a WolverinexGambit pairing since I have to admit (again my beta lol) a friend of mine got me hooked on Marvel characters now. I only now started reading the marvel comics but I have seen all of the movies! So please, if you have the time go check out that one as well and drop me a review over there as well. Normally, I wouldn't ask, but this one reviewer has been hounding me and now I'm seriously taking away their choclate chip cookies for myself. ._

Fenris returned to the Sharks Den around late afternoon feeling exhausted even though he had had a good night's sleep. He had a headache the size of Thedas from what Darius had told him. _Leto, Leto_, the name was a curse upon his soul he knew it. He had thought Leto long dead and gone, a forgotten memory hidden a past he had never considered his claim to begin with. Now, here another damn _mage_ came saying he knew him. If it had not been for the memories Darius's presence had evoked Fenris would have gladly have killed him.

As he shoved the door open to the room he was greeted with a very unwelcome sight. Taliesin leaning against the wall next to the desk appearing to flirt with Zevran. Palen was sitting on the edge of the desk, legs crossed as he swung them back forth hands on either side as he talked with the assassin. It was still an odd sensation to see another person who looked so similar to his lover as Palen was still disguised as the assassin. Palen even had Zevran's signature tattoo on his cheek.

"…and so he said, 'Give to me and I'll give you one in return!'" Palen said with a flourish. His small audience chuckled in appreciation at his joke. Taliesin caught sight of Fenris first nudging Zevran in the shoulder and nodding in the dark elf's direction. Zevran turned his head arm thrown back over the chair clearly comfortable. On the desk forgotten were accounts and reports he had been over before his two friends had come over.

"Lord Fenris, so good to see you! Where did you get off too? I went downstairs to fetch you but the owner said you were gone." Zevran explained. Fenris snorted doubting the assassin had cared enough to look but glared at the elf and human watching him with silent apprehension.

"Get out." He said to the two. Taliesin blinked unfazed but Palen narrowed his eyes glaring at the taller elf.

"Why should we? You leave Zevy here all by himself up here with all this work to do while you just go spend his coin on Maker knows what-"

"Palen, enough. I shall talk to you and Taliesin later." Zevran said waving his hand at his friends. They both shot him equal looks of irritation Palen most of all. Taliesin left silently nodding to Fenris in greeting as he passed. Palen made his exit more dramatic, taking his time to slip off the desk and to lean over to whisper into Zevran's ear seductively. Fenris glared impatient for the doppelganger to be gone. He saw a quirk of his lover's brow and a slow grin spread across his face as he whispered something back in answer. Palen lifted his head quiet laugh on his lips as he gave Fenris a knowing glance as he strode out.

"I shall see you later in my quarters, Lord Fenris." Palen said his voice an almost exact imitation of Zevran's. Fenris visibly jumped hurriedly stepping away from the whore a dumbfounded look on his face. Palen laughed his soft lips forming a small pout as he closed the door behind him. Leaving the warrior to stare at the closed door suspicious it would open again.

"Are you okay? You look so surprised." Zevran said chuckling as he rose from his seat. Fenris shot his lover a glare reaching out and visibly locking the door. After thinking about it for a minute he brushed past Zevran grabbing the chair and shoving it under the door knob.

"That's not going to stop them from coming in if they want to."

"Perhaps, but now I know for certain they can't come in through the door anymore." Fenris snapped. Zevran's brow furrowed a look of concern on his face as he walked over to his lover reaching up to touch his cheek. Fenris allowed the touch closing his eyes as Zevran's fingers roamed brushing his cheek reaching down to lightly tickle his neck. Those same fingers grasped his chin gently as he opened his eyes again to see a pair of hazel ones gazing up at him concern on his face.

"What _have_ you been doing, my dear Fenris? You're not hurt but you have a few bruises here and here…" Zevran said touching Fenris's cheek and then the left side of his neck. Without a thought Fenris reached up and snatched Zevran's hand covering it with his own. He gently kissed just above the fingers on the knuckle as one would a great lady. Zevran's brow quirked again surprised at the gesture.

"Zevran, do you love me?" Fenris asked unabashed. A look of surprise flickered over Zevran's features at the question.

"Why wouldn't I? Why, what is wrong? Did someone hurt you?" Zevran asked reaching up to slip a hand around the back of Fenris's head. Fenris allowed himself to be pulled down to kiss the assassin tasting the sweet honey and cinnamon which was his lover. Their tongues brushed against each other tasting and exploring before breaking a part both elves lightly panting.

"Then why do you never say it plainly? You always give the illusion you are saying it, give me phrases of endearment, but you never say the actual words themselves." Fenris said suddenly possessed to hear it. Zevran wrinkled his nose at the question tilting his head to the side as if he were thinking it over.

"Because in every romance that is all you hear. Two people spouting their love to each other after one night of amazing, mind blowing sex. Honestly, they don't love the person at all but just the sex."

"I could say the same about you." The words were harsh, an accusation. Sharp as barbs digging into one's skin which can't be removed without much pain. Zevran stared at Fenris in shock his arms automatically dropping as he stepped away from the taller elf giving him a cold look.

"That is not true, Fenris. I care for you greatly, you know this!"

"You _care_ for me, Zevran, you do not _love_. Prove me wrong, assassin, if you're so noble as to know what love is truly is." Fenris snarled his hackles rising. Zevran gave him a dirty look, now he had angered the assassin.

"Is this what you came here for, Fenris? I don't know what brought this on, but I am yours. I wish to be with no one else." Zevran said quietly his eyes sparking as he said it.

"What if Howl had lived?" Fenris said without thinking. Zevran closed his eyes taking a shuddering breath. Silence pervaded between them tense thickening the air making it hard to breath. Finally, Zevran opened his eyes and Fenris regretted what he had said. There was pain there now a tear trickling down the corner of Zevran's eye.

"You would ask such a thing of me, Fenris? Truly?" Zevran said quietly his voice filled with pain. Fenris swallowed unaccustomed to dealing with these types of situations. He hadn't meant for it to go this far hadn't meant to argue with him. It was almost as if someone else has stepped into his lyrium skin and began using his voice to drive off the assassin.

"It hurts to much."

"Huh?" Fenris said his attention momentarily focused inward. Zevran had wiped the tear away with a corner of his sleeve raising his head to gaze directly back at his lover.

"It hurts to much, to think of it too much. To dwell on 'what ifs' when you know they will never be. The reason I hesitate to say how I feel for you, Fenris, is not because I don't have the same feelings you have for me, but because I am afraid should I utter them you will disappear. You know my past, even if we are meant to be together I am still wary of love itself. Never you though, Fenris, never with you." Zevran answered tiredly. Watching the smaller elf it seemed as if he had become older at the realization. Fenris sighed reaching out to pull the Zevran against him in an embrace.

"I apologize, I do not…I do not know where it came from. I think was curious as to whether you did anything more than flirt with me every time we are in a room together." Fenris said lightly. A felt a laugh muffled in his chest Zevran's shoulders shaking in what may have been relief as the assassin pulled back to give him a coy look.

"I have often been told by my friends when they talk of me to others people think they are exaggerating my nature. I can assure you, the rumors are quite true." Zevran said with his signature lecherous grin. Fenris felt the corner of his mouth twitch in answer as he chuckled leaning down to kiss him on the forehead.

"Of course, how could I forget? I wake up every morning with you on top of me asking if we can spar in bed." Fenris chuckled slipping reluctantly away from Zevran to sit on the edge of the bed as he began to take off his armor. He tossed the gauntlets unceremoniously on one of the pillows next beginning to undo the straps to his breastplate. Zevran sat down behind him swatting away his fingers away to do it himself.

"So tell me, what has gotten into you? You're not one to act like a spoiled princess." Zevran said with a cluck of his tongue. Fenris sighed turning to gaze into the fireplace seeing a fire had been lit in the grate.

"Nothing. It is only I had a question."

"Then ask it, Fenris."

"How important do you think one's past is?" Fenris asked Zevran. He felt the smaller elf hesitate drawing as he tugged at the stubborn straps. He felt the light brush of fingers along his shoulders as his partner managed to remove his breast plate placing it gently on the bed beside them.

"I believe one's past is essential. It defines who we are so to speak. What you like, what you hate, whom you tend to avoid, whom you love. 'History is history' people say but if it is your history does it cease to not exist anymore? Whether we like it or not we compare those experiences we have in the present to those we had in the past in order to know how to react." Zevran answered his voice careful. Fenris knew Zevran was trying to be honest but would not speak the one thought between them.

_I forgot my past_, Fenris thought to himself. He pulled away from the other elf turning around to face him.

"And what of me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Am I less of a person for not remembering my past?"

"You are you, Fenris. I would have you no other way."

"How is that an answer?" Fenris snapped at his lover. Zevran raised a quizzical brow but did not answer. Instead, he touched Mercy stroking the flat of the blade as if he were petting a great beast. They remained silent for a time before Zevran sighed his gaze meeting his partner's.

"Because I don't have an answer, Fenris. I don't. I will remain by your side no matter what fate may place in our paths unless I were to perish. You are as you are, and you forgot your past due to another person's cruelty. That is not something you should blame yourself for. Do wish to find out whom you were as 'Leto'?" Zevran asked him seriously. Fenris paused his tongue caught in his throat as he considered the offer. Now when he heard the name Leto he felt a twinge in the back of his mind as if he should be remembering to do something. The name caused him to recall Varania and Darius, and he mulled over the connection between the two. Darius had said Varania had contacted him despite the mage being aware his 'friend' had murdered his father.

"I'm not sure. What is there to reclaim? I thank you for the offer, Zevran. But Leto is long gone and dead." Fenris said to his lover.

_No I'm not! I'm here, right here! Darius, where are you? Why won't you speak to me?_

Again, this voice which sounded so much like his. Somehow it felt as if it echoed in his mind more than a figment of his imagination. It disturbed Fenris as he shifted uncomfortably rising from the bed to pace about the room. Zevran watched him concern written over his features at his lover's antics. Fenris ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he glanced back down at the bed where his assassin sat. He didn't want to mull over these thoughts anymore. He couldn't allow himself to begin doubting his every motive. Especially now he appeared to have voices in his head.

"Want to play Wicked Grace?" Fenris asked his lover warily. Zevran grinned as he rose from the bed glancing at the table.

"Only if you bet yourself, my Lord Fenris."

"I can do that." Fenris said with an answering wicked grin. All thoughts banished of the grey eyed magister who lurked in his thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Hello everyone! It is so nice to finally be back, geez I've been so busy. I do sincerely apologize the updates have stopped coming, but I had to concentrate on school and got so caught up on another project I was working on I completely ended up ignoring this one by mistake. BUT, the other project is finished, and I have three weeks off from school. So, in that time I will be working on this story and trying to get caught up. So if you suddenly start seeing a few chapters posted in one week rather then just once it is because of that. _

_Oh yeah, and please leave me a review. Even if it's just in the form of a happy face reviews always make my day. I know I don't reply to them very often, but I kinda figure you'd rather read an extra chapter rather then hear me rant on and on. ^_^; Enjoy!_

**Chapter 7**

Zevran ran his thumb along the edge of his dagger, testing the newly sharpened edge. Beside him on the bed dozing idly was Fenris naked from the waist up. They had played a few rounds of Wicked Grace only to tumble into bed a while later the bet being who could stand being teased most by the other. Zevran, being who he was, had won the game easily and thus his prize. Now he remained awake after their lovemaking the musky scent of sex heavy and alluring in his nostrils as he studied Fenris in sleep.

They had come a long way together, true, but they had yet to learn much of each other. Zevran had done his utmost best to share his past with Fenris, but his lover did not have much to share. Why would another person want to hear another's mindless slavery for several years? Fenris had told Zevran of what had happened during his years in Kirkwall the pain of Hawke's betrayal still fresh in his mind. Then again, why wouldn't it be? Up until that time Hawke had always stood by Fenris's side defending him from the others, backing him up when he called for vengeances, and supporting him when he grew weary of his life. Hawke had been a good friend and even better companion but his betrayal had torn a yawning chasm in Fenris's heart. At the time they had fled they had had no time to think about the betrayal. Now, finally having stopped to rest it was apparent they now had more to deal with.

Beside him on the bed Fenris stirred rolling over onto his side. The taller elf stretched in his sleep his back arching like a cat's. The next minute he settled back into slumber seemingly satisfied with his new comfortable position. Zevran had seen Fenris as a fierce warrior and a gentle lover, but even he had become curious about whom he may have been like in a past life. Would he be different than he was now? Would he have still have fallen in love with a broken hearted Antivan assassin?

Outside it had begun to grow darker as night descended. Zevran sighed glancing at the stack of reports he had still yet to do. They could wait until tomorrow, of course, but that meant another day stuck inside. A shame real life was never as interesting as it sounded in stories. In a story a person could skip all the boring parts where one contemplated depressing thoughts and what the future may hold. A story was forced to follow a direct line with a few twists and turns thrown in to keep a person interested and the pages turning. But books always had an end. One of the things Howl had pressed upon him when he had inquired as to why the young mage insisted on reading so much.

As he rose to light a candle to brighten the room Fenris stirred on the bed. The dark skinned elf opened one eye to peer blearily at his lover. When he took notice of the darkening sky outside he shot up alarm apparent in his features has he looked wildly about like a trapped animal. Zevran, no fool, raised a brow at him as he lit the candle.

"Something wrong, Fenris?"

"No…well, yes, I must depart. Immediately." Fenris said scrambling from the bed as he cast about for his armor. Spotting a few parts of it he lunged for the items hastily slipping them on as he frantically searched for the others. Curious, Zevran watched the dark elf getting dressed doing nothing to aid him as he darted about the room.

"Where are you going?" Zevran asked casually. As if realizing his lover were in the same room as he was Fenris paused stopping to turn towards him with wide eyes. He saw the dark elf hesistate then glance out the window as if expecting a griffin to come crashing in and to kill him.

"I…it's personal, Zevran. I'll be back though, but I have to go. It's important." Fenris answered carefully. Zevran continued to gaze at him his hazel eyes flickering as he was given this news. Then, with a sigh and shrug Zevran turned his back to his lover.

"Alright, I'll see you later than Fenris. Try not to get jumped this time." Zevran called over his shoulder tiredly. Fenris paused, almost out the door with his sword in hand. Then he turned around and came back leaning over from behind the smaller elf to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I won't be long. I promise." Fenris whispered into his ear before departing. Zevran heard the door close as the taller elf left flicking a feather off of his desk. Below from the window he saw Fenris's shock of white hair leave the inn in the direction of the beach.

Fenris was already breathing hard the air rasping out of his throat as he easily navigated through the dark streets. He easily managed to avoid the night revelers and seamen traveling to the taverns for a drink. Already a few were staggering drunk openly laughing and falling over each other or else singing with a group of friends in broken voices. Fenris managed to avoid the path of one such group dodging around them as he continued to head towards the beach.

It only took him a few minutes to find a path leading in the direction Darius had told him about. Fenris ran along it heedless of his own safety as he flew down the path. His heart pounding, with sweat gathering on his brow, he felt a sense of desperation he had not experienced until the day he had denied Danarius and fled. Part of him wondered if it wasn't a sad irony he was now driven to head towards the son of the man who had tortured him for all those years. Yet, there was no sense of abuse from Darius. Or even a bad aura only a desire to stand by his side and fend off any who dared to come near.

"Or he's simply smarter than his father, and made me have the desire to serve." Fenris growled into the night air. This was met by the crash of the waves against the beach roaring as the surf rolled in.

Eventually he slowed down a walk though Fenris still hurried his eyes flickering to watch the dark waves even though he could only hear them. He was half tempted to activate his marking if only to be able to see where he stepped, but he did not need the light. Besides, he would have been a pulsing beacon for any slavers searching for unsuspecting elves. As he walked Fenris felt a constant tugging at the back of his mind as if he had forgotten something. Almost as if a person were knocking at a door refusing to leave even when they had been told their company was not wanted.

_He's close_…

The thought came quietly to him as Fenris stopped to scan a clearing he had come to. By now he had been walking for so long he had come to a thick copse of trees spread out before him. In the dark he could just make out the shape of small cabin the shudders drawn, but a warm light seeped from under the door. Nostrils flaring Fenris caught the scent of roasting meat and tea wondering if it was indeed Darius. For all he knew it could be a trap or an unsuspecting family enjoying dinner.

Feeling like the fool Fenris raised his fist and gave the door a few solid raps. Loud enough to show he meant business, but not so forceful as to indicate he meant harm. He heard a rustle from inside as someone moved inside then the creak of floorboards as the same person came to stop right beside the door. Did they have a weapon ready to knock him out when he entered?

"Password." Darius's familiar voice called. Annoyed, Fenris punched the door hearing the mage on the other side begin to chuckle.

"Open the damn door!" Fenris yelled ticked he had to be made to wait. He heard a click on the other side and then the door swung open.

Darius stood framed in the doorway his gray eyes searching the face of the elf before him. Fenris didn't know if he was surprised or dreaming. He had always ever seen magister's dressed in the their normal mage robes. Here, Darius had dressed down to brown trousers and a worn tunic though it was clean. The mage stepped back waving him into the small room as he turned his back to focus on the tea boiling over the fire.

"I was starting to think you had changed your mind. How are you doing? Do your wounds still hurt from earlier?" Darius asked Fenris as he retrieved the pot of tea from its hook. Fenris let the door close behind him being sure to lock it.

He wasn't quite sure what he had expected to find but inside the room was clearly richer then a vagabond would have. The floors were polished and smoothed to a high shine, even the rafters were clean free of any cobwebs. A small bed had been shoved up against the wall competing with space with a desk with a neat stack of papers, envelopes, and a bottle of ink sitting in wait with a quill in it. Fenris spotted a trunk as well on the other side of the room as well as small table with two chairs, signs of a meal had just been eaten still there. The trunk drew his eyes because it bore the seal of the Tevinter Imperium, as well as Danarius's own personal family insignia.

"I'm fine. Just a few bruises, but those will heal in no time. So tell me…" Fenris said reaching up to grab the hilt of his sword, Mercy, causing Darius to turn to face him. On the table two cups had been set out while the mage had been in the process of pouring them tea. Often, Fenris had poured tea or wine for Danarius usually when guests were over. The other magisters always balked when he came near them seeing this dangerous creature in such close proximity of them. Knowing they were at the full mercy of Danarius while in his household knowing with a command Fenirs could kill them.

Darius's eyes widened when he saw the elf grab the sword, but he made no move to stop him. Instead, he slowly poured the rest of the tea then slid down into a chair. He continued to watch Fenris carefully but still did not even retrieve his stave which rested on the bed only a few feet away from him.

"Did you come here to talk to me or to kill me?" Darius asked softly. His soft gray eyes sparked with a challenge and Fenris felt his grip beginning to loosen but he forced it to tighten.

"Both, depending on if you're telling me the truth." Fenris snapped as he drew the sword, but pointed the tip at the ground. Going over the table he sat down as well with his spare hand picking up the cup of tea.

When he inhaled the scent memories of the red-haired, green eyed elven woman crossed his mind's eye. The scent as well brought back the feeling of warmth he felt when he gazed at her an internal happiness only a child could feel. Just as before, though, it flickered away leaving Fenris trembling in its wake only able to grasp to fleeting memory of the face.

"What is this?" Fenris asked glaring down suspiciously into the tea. It was slightly dark with an amber quality to it. The smell of mint and cinnamon wafted up from it and he wondered if it were poisoned.

"Just a special blend of tea Auntie would make for us when you or I would get upset. There's no secret ingredients or anything, but she always told us she put good thoughts in it so we would have nice dreams for when we went to sleep." Darius answered gazing down into his own cup of tea. Fenris watched him suspiciously letting his sword rest across his lap as he took a sip of the tea. It was pleasant invoking those same distant memories in him from before. However, one stood out against the rest of a young boy about seven sitting next to him chattering into his ear as they drank.

Fenris banished the image before it could take a better grasp on his mind.

"I'm here now, so talk. What is it you wish to tell me so badly, magister?" Fenris asked coldly. He saw Darius's eyes spark at the title but the mage only sighed shrugging his shoulder.

"What do you remember?"

"Nothing."

Darius did not know how to start the process of helping someone recall their past. Let alone everything that made them everything they were. Even if the person sitting across from him was someone he remembered vividly, thought of often, and recalled in times of despair when he needed his soul to be uplifted. He could tell the elf sitting across from him wasn't Leto, but at the same time he could see Leto in Fenris.

The way he tended glare at him when he became annoyed, the brow wrinkling nostrils slightly flaring like a wild cat's right before it struck. Those searching forest green eyes as they scanned his environment constantly checking to be sure the area was clear. A tapping of a finger against his knee when he was deep in thought. All these small things Darius had nearly forgotten yet he remembered so well he wished for Leto to give him one of his trademark mischievous grins, laugh, and tell him it was all a joke. How could he be such a fool as to think the dashing elf warrior Leto would forget the grand magister of the Imperium?

"Well, your mom, Vivian, was my mother's….helper." Darius said clearing his throat nervously. Fenris scowled at him from across the table his tea untouched by his hand though he raised the cup to inhale the scent every now and again.

"Just say it, Darius. We both know she was a slave." Fenris snarled with more venom then he meant. Darius closed his eyes sighing to himself before he opened them again to glare at the elf.

"Not to me, she wasn't. To me she was Auntie, to you and Varania she was your mother. Now, as I was saying, Auntie belong to my mother….


	8. Chapter 8

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Yet another chappie update! I've been trying to keep with the one weekly update I had before, and I didn't even notice last week go by. You know when people tell you they're busy? Trust me, they're BUSY. Soon I'm going to be literally working two jobs while going to college, so we're going to see how it all turns out. Meant to type a lot during break but all I ended up doing was playing lots, and lots, of World of Warcraft. _

**Chapter 8**

Vivian was the servant of Matricia, the wife of the magister Danarius. It was Vivian's job to see to it that her mistress was well cared for during her pregnancy as well as to make sure the young woman did not become too stressed. Matricia was not a mage like her husband, but had been born into one of the most prominent families in Tevinter. Her only use in life was to be married off to another magister and to, hopefully, give birth to a mage child. Vivian herself was pregnant as well, but this did not give her the benefit of resting like she should.

"Vivi? VIVI! Where are you? Oh, the child…" Matricia cried out from her bed. She was only seventeen with dark brown hair that fell in cascading ringlets about her shoulders. Vivian stifled a yawn as she waddled away from the table where she had been folding her mistress's laundry.

"Yes, mistress?"

"What are you standing there for, you fat lazy thing? Come here! I need help, the baby is kicking and won't be quiet." Matricia complained. Vivian managed to bow her head in apology even as her own unborn child's kicked making her wince. She suspected she was having a boy since he seemed restless and eager to enter the world. A small smile came her face when she thought of last night how her first born, Varania, had put her ear to her stomach. How the little girl's eyes had widened when she felt her unborn sibling move in the womb. She was only three but showed signs of magical ability.

"Yes, mistress." Vivian said, hiding the pain of swollen ankles as she came over to the bed. Indeed, her mistress's child appeared to be either having a fit or attempting to practice jumping jacks in her womb. The belly was quivering and slight bumps appeared when the baby pressed up against the sides.

When she came to the bed and pulled back the covers, Vivian had caught a funny smell. A sickly sweet scent she could not recognize. When she looked down, blood stained the once crisp white sheets as her mistress continued to complain. Matricia spotted the blood and screamed, making Vivian's ears hurt from the sharp shriek.

"What? What is happening?! Why is their blood?" Matricia shrieked, raising herself up her elbows to see. When she tried to get out of the bed ,Vivian didn't hesitate in putting her hands on the woman's shoulders and shoving her back down.

"Don't get up! Wait her while I get help!" Vivian instructed her, complacency gone. Matricia stared at her in shock, her gray eyes widening at being ordered around by her slave. Then a pained shriek ripped through her as the baby moved again, getting ready to enter the world.

Vivian dashed from the room, almost tripping on an upturned carpet as she ran. The guards posted near the dining hall did nothing to stop her. It wasn't very likely a pregnant elf would come barreling into their where Danarius was holding a meeting with his fellow mages. Not even pausing to wait until he was done, Vivian rushed to the head of the table where Danarius had been in the process of giving a speech. When the magister turned to look at her in astonishment, Vivian panted and pointed, nearly breathless, at the hall she had just come out of.

"The mistress… Bleeding… Baby may die. Or both." Vivian gasped through her panting. Danarius stood there for a moment, the entire room silent. Then the room was in a uproar as the guards rushed in, raising their clubs to beat the little elven women. Danarius's face transformed into an ugly mask as he spun on one of the guards, his staff whipping up and smashing the blunted end into one guard. The blow broke the assailant's jaw and sent him flying.

"Don't you dare touch her! You, retrieve the midwives for my wife and bring the healers! I will handle the elf." Danarius shouted at the spare guard. Vivian blinked, wondering what had warranted the protection until she felt a warm trickle going down her leg. When she looked down, she saw a puddle had gathered underneath her.

Her water had broken.

Danarius, completely ignoring the other magisters, dropped his staff into a frantic elf who had come forward, trying to hurry Vivian out of the room. Bending down he swept the small elf off her feet with surprising strength and bore her out of the room heedless of the birthing fluids ruining his Antivan silk robes. Vivian was too shocked to do anything as he bore her through the halls, through the servant's quarters, back to a small hovel given to her set in the back of the garden.

"Master Danarius, I-"

"Be quiet, you're giving birth. Save your strength for the child." Danarius said as he shoved the door open to the hovel with his shoulder. Ducking under the low beam he gently lowered the small woman into the bed. His hair was jet black, but streaks of gray had begun to show at the temples while a few wrinkles marred his handsome face. Vivian stared up at him ,the pains of birth beginning to affect her as Varania ran up to the hovel. The girl wore a worried expression on her small face. Tiny hands were caked with dirt from pulling up weeds in the garden.

"Thank you." Vivian said quietly. Danarius gave her a sad look that spoke a history between them as he began to go out the door.

"I'm sorry." Danarius said quietly right before the door closed on his retreating back.

Two days passed later, the manor was in mourning. Matricia had passed away, having died in childbirth. The healer said the young woman had not had the strength to bear the child, a boy. Vivian gave birth as well and was given leave to care for her son for a month before being put back to work. One day she was petting Leto's soft fuzz of white hair, watching as he slept. The door to her hovel opened.

"Vivian?" Said the elf standing in the doorway. Vivian jerked her head around, reaching up to cover her newborn with her arms to shelter him from the other elf. Sometimes, she had heard, magisters took the babies and… She did not want to think of it.

"Yes, Jinx? What is it?" She asked him. Jinx shifted nervously, he had been born a slave and knew nothing of thinking for himself.

"The master wants you." Jinx said quickly before turning around and practically sprinting back to his post. Glancing back down at her child, Vivian scooped up Leto, clutching him close to her chest as she left to answer the summons. She still felt pains in her back and legs when she walked, preferring to rest in bed all day rather than walking around.

Holding the baby, she went in through the servant's quarters and up to Danarius' study. She knew his habits by now and knew where to find him without being told. When she came up, the door had been left open with Danarius standing near the window, gazing out. Vivian's grip tightened on her child as she entered, pausing to bow slightly to indicate she served him.

"Master Danarius? You called for me?" Vivian asked quietly. Danarius turned around to stare at her, his face unreadable. His eyes flickered down to the swaddled baby in her arms.

"Is that him?" Danarius asked. Vivian glanced down at her baby as if she had not expected to see him there. Hesitantly, she nodded her head even as the child stirred in her arms.

"Yes, sir. His name is Leto." She answered. Danarius walked over to her to gaze down at the baby. Reluctant, Vivian pulled back the blanket a bit so the magister could get a better look at the child. Leto stirred, more his bottom lip trembling as he began to wake up.

"He's cute." Danarius said much to Vivian's surprise. She glanced down at her child, her eyes tearing up.

"Yes, he is. He looks just like his father."

"Has he been eating well? Any problems?" Danarius asked. Vivian's eyes snapped up to him, her eyes questioning.

"Yes, sir, he has been."

"And you have no problems feeding him?"

"No, sir."

"Fine, then you are no longer to work in the garden. Seeing as you have to care for your own child, you are now going to be the wet nurse and caretaker of my son, Darius."

"Yes, sir."

"It couldn't have happened that way." Fenris snapped angrily. Darius only shrugged his shoulders, inspecting a stain on the table as he answered.

"That's what Auntie said happened, pretty much. After that, she said most of the time she was in the mansion caring for the both of us. Father even let her move into a small room connected to mine so she could more easily take care of me." Darius explained with a wave of his hand. Fenris frowned at this, trying to picture himself as a newborn. The thought was so alien, he almost wanted to laugh yet it was true. Once upon a time, he had once been such a helpless thing who had needed a mother's love.

"And Danarius allowed this? They have wet nurses in the Imperium for mages, I'm sure."

"They do, but father didn't want that. I don't think he ever expected me to amount to much, but he didn't want to get rid of me for some reason. So Auntie cared for both of us. You don't remember, but she often would tease us because you and I slept in the same bed as children. She said it was her fault, because one day she got so tired of both of us crying at the same time when she was trying to wean us. So one day, she just put us in the same crib together and left us there." Darius said, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

Fenris raised an eyebrow at that, beginning to wonder what kind of history he had.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Darius did his best to recall the history between him and Fenris, but there was just so much. He ended up only telling the elf any random thoughts he could think of. Things Leto had told him in passing or joked about. He often chided him for his shyness. Fenris had narrowed his eyes when he mentioned Leto enjoyed bullying and mocking him, though not cruelly. Such instances were rare as most of the time Leto preferred to take the lead and challenged anyone who dared to mess with his human companion. As they grew older, it became apparent there was bond between the son of the Danarius and the elven slave.

Even more surprising than the fact that despite the male child was a mage, Danarius never took on another wife. Instead, he took in the apprentice of his friend's niece, the young cruel girl known as Hadriana. Thankfully, Vivian found herself spared having to be in contact with her as well as doing her best to shield her children from the cruel reality of the Imperium. However, attempting to control two teenage boys with raging hormones seemed to be like stopping the Blight itself to her at times.

"You're doing it wrong." Darius said to Varania. They were outside in the garden practicing magic while not far away Leto was chopping wood. Vivian had managed to press upon her son the importance of doing his chores though he always managed to escape somewhere with Darius. At fifteen, the boys were beginning to grow taller, already towering over the poor elven woman who cared for them. Varania too was taller than her mother, but by only a few inches rather than the near foot Darius and Leto had.

"How? That's how you say the enchantment! You're the one acting like your staff is going to bite you." Varania shot back, annoyed. Darius frowned, lowering his own staff in order to study the tome he had propped up on a chair he had brought out.

"_Fiat lux_, let there be light. I pronounced it right. This is one of the easier spells. It's supposed to make the end of the staff glow so you can see. Maybe we can't see it because it's not dark out." Darius said thoughtfully, turning his head to gaze up at the bright autumn sun as if he expected it to suddenly go down for his benefit. A few yards away from the pair, Leto rolled his eyes; resting his axe to glare at them.

"Well no duh, idiot. Mom, can I take a break? All Varania is doing is waving a stick around." Leto complained to his mother. Vivian looked up from a pair of trousers she had been mending to focus on her son. She was secretly proud to see he had grown so strong. Already he was demonstrating an uncanny strength compared to the rest of the elves. Taller than any of them, Leto was able to lift and do things even a few of the human guards were unable to do. Having taken up training with a sword, Vivian saw a bright future for her son as a bodyguard for Darius. Though she still feared for when the two came to the full realization of the world they lived in.

She sighed and lowered her sewing, waving her hand in dismissal to him.

"Go ahead, but not for too long! You know I'll come find you if you're not back to doing your chores in half an hour." Vivian warned him. Leto's mischievous grin spread across his face as he abandoned the axe, dashing over to Darius and Varania.

"Let's go down to the river. Being here makes me sick." Leto said, grabbing Darius under the arm. With hardly any say in the matter, Darius was dragged off by his stronger friend as Varania just shook her head; turning around and heading back to her mother. Vivian often wondered why it was daughters who always listened to their mothers and never sons.

"Master isn't going to be happy they still hang out together." Varania said, leaning her staff against the wall. Vivian frowned at her daughter; still sewing the rip in Leto's trousers as she pondered the comment.

Danarius appeared to show no interest in his own son whatsoever. Vivian even wondered if the magister had completely forgotten his son seeing as Darius was still in the same room since he had been nothing more than a babe. By now the crib had been replaced with a huge bed, an armoire, and a bookshelf filled with all the tomes he studied. Still, she had caught Leto sneaking out of their hovel several times now at night to go into Darius's room. Often when she followed after him, the boys appeared to be staying up playing Wicked Grace or simply talking. Vivian couldn't bring herself to stop them. Time was so short for the both of them. She felt they should enjoy the time they had together rather than rip them apart now.

"I'm sure our master will do what he sees best. Besides, Darius will begin his formal training soon in order to become a magister. By then the boys will never have time to see each other anymore." Vivian answered, raising the trousers to inspect them. Her sewing seemed to have done the trick. Only a small seam showed where the rip had been. Turning the pants back inside out she put them aside in her basket, smoothing them out. She would have to get Leto a new pair soon or find spare cloth to make some. Her son was growing so fast.

"I don't know. The master seems more interested in Leto. Have you seen the way he looks at him when he walks through the gardens in the morning?" Varania mentioned as she picked up a piece of sewing, inspected it, and then took up needle and thread and began helping her mother.

Vivian stopped, staring at her daughter in shock. When Varania noticed her mother had stopped altogether; she glanced at her in surprise, worry crossing over her face.

"Mother, I'm sure it's nothing! The humans have always noticed Leto because he's… Different." Varania said as casually as she could. Vivian still could not banish the thought of Danarius taking interest in her son. Her _only _son. It was true, Leto did not look like the other elves. There was even talk his father had not even been human.

_Well, they're certainly not wrong_. Vivian thought to herself as with shaking hands she resumed her sewing, ignoring her daughter's concerned gaze.

_Leto's father IS an elf, after all. Though not like any elf they have ever seen_. Vivian thought as she imagined the dark skinned elf. Leto's father had been beautiful, even by elven standards. Deep soul penetrating jade eyes which seemed to know your every thought and action before you even decided a course of action. Leto's father had been tall too though much taller than Leto was now. Vivian remembered how the dark skinned elf towered over her and was even taller than Danarius was at seven feet. Sinewy muscle and long silver silken strands he often had to keep tied up with a two blades in his hair he called _shuriken_…

"Mother? Are you alright?" Varania asked her. Her mother had once again stopped her work; gazing instead at the garden with a small smile on her face. Noticing her daughter staring, Vivian let out a soft sigh as she raised her work again to return to it.

_Danarius had loved him too._

"Nothing, sweet heart, nothing." Vivian said quietly.

Slipping past the walls of the Imperium and the guards posted there; Leto and Darius made their way down to the riverbank. Here there were wild apple trees and grazing sheep that bayed at them when the boys came closer. By now the sheep knew the boys well and often were used to their presence. Offerings of apples the boys picked from the trees above and sweet grass made even a few of the sheep walk right up to them to be scratched under the chin like pets.

Leto greeted one such sheep by scratching it behind the ears as it sniffed his clothes, searching for a treat. Darius came by his side, bumping the elf aside as he produced a cube of sugar. The creature's soft lips quickly licked it up within a second. Content that it had been rewarded; the sheep left them going back to its grazing as it had done before. Leto sighed; glaring at the mage as he gently nudged him with his shoulder and nodded towards the river.

"Want to go for a swim? It's hot." Leto said, tugging at the collar of his worn shirt. Summer still clung to autumn despite the leaves already beginning to change color. The days had begun to become cooler, but there were still times when the sun warned them of its presence by shedding its rays down upon them. Darius glanced up at the sun as well. He had begun to sweat as well within his robes.

"Didn't Vivian say you only had half an hour? Auntie will make you clean out the stables again if you're late to doing your chores." Darius said uneasily, even as Leto was heading down to the bank. The elf was already pulling his shirt up and over his head. He tossed the garment over a convenient branch as he began to take off his pants as well.

"Oh come on, we have enough time to cool off. So what if we come back home wet? Mom won't say anything so long as we actually _come_ back. Besides, you never get in trouble with her. I do." Leto said with a bright laugh as he shed his trousers. He had on no small clothes underneath causing Darius to blush and look the other way. He was always surprised by how Leto so easily did anything he wished like he was unaware of his nakedness.

Without any preamble Leto waded into the river, shivering as the cold water brushed over his skin. Soon, however, he became comfortable and turned to look at his companion who lingered near the bank watching him shyly. Leto grinned mischievously as he hit the water, playfully sending a spray of water in the direction of his friend.

"Come on in, Darius! It's freezing!" Leto teased him. Darius frowned at him, his brow wrinkling as he looked back at the mansion as if he were considering returning.

"I don't know, Leto. I don't think a magister would just go diving into random rivers." Darius said uneasily. Though, the growing heat was beginning to make his robes feel uncomfortable. Leto sighed as he lowered himself into the water, pushing off so he was in the middle of it. The water became too deep for him to stand up, forcing the elf to begin swimming. He kicked out his feet to stay afloat.

"I'll make it easy for you, then. You're _not_ a magister yet, Darius. You're the son of a magister making you just another common mage. Come on, you're really going to make me swim in here all by myself? You're so cruel." Leto teased him. He could see Darius was beginning to weaken as the magic user glanced over his shoulder once more.

"No, Leto." Darius said with finality. He saw his friend sigh and shake his head as he began to swim around in slow circles in the river. Then suddenly, Leto let out a sharp cry beginning to flail in the water.

Darius watched in surprise as his friend began to trying to tread water. Leto's head went underwater for a moment then broke the surface. Spluttering, emerald eyes wide with panic, Leto look at him desperate as he clawed at the water looking for purchase.

"Help me! Darius, help!" Leto squawked as his head went back under again. Darius sighed shaking his head as his friend continued to drown.

"That's not going to work, I already know what you're doing." Darius snapped. Though he felt a stab of worry every time he saw the elf's head go under. Then, with a violent cough Leto went back under. Darius waited wondering when the elf would come back up and give up. Instead, all he saw were a few bubbles break the surface of the water. Two minutes, and the bubbles stopped. Alarmed, Darius dropped his stave and began to approach the water uneasily.

"Leto? Leto, come on up. It's not going to work, I'm not coming up." Darius called at the water. Three minutes now, and still there was no movement. Alarmed Darius began to wonder if perhaps it had not been a joke. Just bad timing on Leto's part for teasing him. What if his friend really were drowning and he did nothing but stand on the bank refusing to save him?

"Leto? LETO!" Darius said in a fit of panic. He quickly shed his robes kicking off his shoes as well as he dove into the water. Just then he saw a body break the surface face down. Leto's face was still in the water his arms dangling like seaweed in the water. Now sure something had happened Darius splashed his way towards the body, panic spreading through him when he still saw no movement.

Just as he came closer, Leto came to life. Faster than the eye could see, Leto straightened out expertly treading water unlike his friend. Grabbing Darius by the head, he shoved the mage underwater. After a few seconds he let the spluttering mage come back up glaring at him, furious storm grey eyes ready to tear him apart. He laughed even as Darius began to hit him, sending sprays of water in every direction.

"You _asshole_! I thought you were really drowning! Why do you do stuff like that? Haven't you ever heard the term 'don't cry wolf'? I hate you Leto!" Darius snapped as he began to try and swim back to the bank. Leto reached out and grabbed Darius's arm, dragging the mage back towards him. He was a much stronger swimmer then his friend was and he chuckled, watching as Darius flapped his other arm attempting to still get away.

"Come on, it was only a joke. Besides, instead of shouting wolf you can just cry _Fenris_, little wolf. Remember, mother used to call me that every time I got into trouble?" Leto said with a grin as he pulled the mage ever closer. Suddenly aware they were both naked, Darius felt his face beginning to heat up as he looked away, trying not to notice the muscles working along Leto's arms or the play of the sun in his bright hair.

"That's a stupid name, Leto. You still like that? Psh, the day you start calling yourself _Fenris_ I'll become Archon of the Imperium." Darius muttered, caught in a bad temperment. Now he was having to keep himself afloat as Leto continued to hold him hostage by his arm. His naked thigh brushed against Leto's, suddenly making the mage aware of how much stronger the dark skinned elf was compared to him. He shuddered, tugging at his trapped limb while glaring at his friend.

"Maybe. And I'll rule by your side. The Imperium shall fear us both, don't you think? Come on, Darius, it was a joke. I'm sorry." Leto said with a laugh. He swam towards the bank, tugging the mage along after him. Darius followed, gratefully planting his feet in the smooth pebbles as he looked in the direction of the mansion.

"Sure, Leto. Whatever the hell you want." Darius said with a tired sigh. Leto continued to grin at him which made the reluctant young man smile back. He hated the fact that Leto always seemed to bring out the worst in him yet was still able to make him do things against his better judgment. Then he saw something flicker over Leto's face as the elf frowned, squeezing his companion's arm as he did so.

"Darius, when you become a magister you won't be like… The others, will you? Treat me like a slave? I've overheard Danarius talk about rituals they practice and how the use elves to power the spells." Leto said, his tone growing darker as he said it. Darius frowned as he glanced at his friend. They never talked about the subject in front of each other, instead choosing to avoid it altogether. Darius cleared his throat uncertainly, trying not to wince by the grip on his arm. If Leto wanted to he could easily beat him to a pulp or keep his head held underwater until he drowned.

"Never, those magister's are just bad people. I'd never treat you like that. I promise." Darius said seriously. This time Leto just huffed as he began to brood. Darius hated it when his companion went quiet. Leto's face would become serious as he scowled at the world; displeased by what he saw in front of him. After a few quiet moments, Leto turned towards him an odd expression on his face.

"Mind if I try something?" Leto asked him. Grateful for a change of subject, Darius nodded eagerly. He was simply glad his friend was beginning to lighten up.

"Sure, go right ahead." Darius said.

Leto relinquished his grasp on Darius his hand slipping lower. Darius yelped when he felt the hand squeeze his buttocks teasingly. Leto didn't give him a mischievous grin as he usually did, however, his eyebrow quirking at the small sound. The hand moved back up as Leto wrapped his arm around the mage's waist pulling him closer. Darius felt the power within the elf's muscles and shuddered at the thought of the damage Leto could do if driven to fight.

Even though the movement was leading up to it Darius found himself still surprised when Leto's soft lips locked with his. They had experimented with each other; not having anyone else to do it with. Still, they had never removed their clothes until they were completely naked. Darius hesitated even as Leto wrapped another arm around him, squeezing him lightly. There was no demand in it. He could pull away if he chose to. Instead, Darius deepened the kiss, grinding up against Leto carefully. He heard the dark elf growl as his desire began to grow.

Both teenagers were unsure of what they felt. Only that it felt good and they wanted more of it. With a huff, Leto slipped his hand under Darius's buttocks again and hefted him up; allowing the mage to wrap his legs around his waist. Their breaths began to quicken as he walked them towards the bank, never breaking their kiss. Their movements became more frenzied as Leto laid Darius on the edge of the bank, the water lapping at their feet.

With a sigh of relief, Leto ground his erection against Darius' who gasped underneath him at the movement. The sensation wasn't exactly new to either of them, but was intensified by the fact that they were both unclothed. Both teenagers froze for a moment to gaze into each other's eyes before Darius wrapped both arms around Leto's neck and pulled him back down. Moving his head, Leto lightly bit Darius's soft throat, feeling the mage moan underneath him.

Darius desperately clawed at Leto's back as he ground his hips against him, moaning for more of the pleasure wracking through his body. Leto's control was beginning to slip as well as he pumped his hips, moving against the mage underneath him who was groaning in his ear. Leto didn't think about it as he raised his head to gaze into Darius's dark orbs. He grit his teeth as he growled, descending upon the mage with a new passion. As fast as they had started Darius shuddered, letting out a sharp cry as he came first; Leto following soon after.

Spent, Leto only sighed as he rested on top of the mage. He rolled off him after a few moments, going wearily to pull on his trousers. Blushing but content, Darius went to pull his on as well. He didn't feel like putting on his robes as he glanced at Leto who was beginning to pull on his shirt.

"Um, that was…What did we just do?" Darius asked quietly. Now that they weren't clawing at each other, he felt as if they had just crossed a line. Leto didn't turn to look at him as he continued to get dressed. He did not get a chance to answer when they heard a yell several yards away from them.

"You there, knife ear! What did you do to the boy?" An Imperium guard shouted. He was followed by at least five other men as they descended upon the teenagers. Darius licked his lips, suddenly nervous as he glanced at Leto. Within moments the boys were surrounded by the men as two immediately grabbed Leto by the arms.

"We didn't do anything. We just went for a swim." Leto said bluntly. His tone had become hard and blunt as if daring the men to question him. Darius had gone pale and silent as he watched the head of the guards study Leto. Without warning the man smacked the dark elf with the back of his hand. Darius cried out, trying to lunge for him but was stopped by three men who held him back.

"Not what it looked like from where I'm standing. Do you know the price for raping a _magister_ within the Imperium? No?" The man sneered. Panicked, Darius wrung his hands desperately as he glanced at Leto. There was blood where he had been hit a cut on his temple.

"Sir, he didn't rape me. We were just, um, swimming like he said." Darius said desperately. The man turned to fix him with a glare now as well; taking measure of the young man. After a moment the man grinned, sauntering over to him as he studied him.

"You're mighty pretty for a boy your age. Why don't we take you back to the barracks and ask you a few questions, hm? We'll put down this filthy vermin for harming you." The man said kindly. Horrified, Darius began to struggle as they began to drag him away taking Leto in the opposite direction.

"No, don't! He didn't do anything wrong! Leto didn't hurt-" Darius began cut off by a swift punch to his stomach.

They should have never punched him. Or laid hands on him. Normally, Leto was able to withstand being insulted and not fight back as his mother instructed him. But when they laid hands on the person he called his best friend they made a dire mistake.

Leto's hand bunched up in a fist as he yanked his arm out of the guard's grasp. He punched the man on his right causing his jaw to click as his teeth hit each other. Blood began to flow from biting his tongue as the guard moved to draw his sword. Leto didn't allow him to as he grabbed his wrist and with a swift twist broke it with a wet crack. The man began to bellow staggering away clutching his arm to his chest. Leto spun grabbing the man on his left and tossing him easily into the water. The guard landed with a loud splash sinking down immediately in the water floundering as he struggled to get back up.

The captain withdrew his sword, advancing on Leto. Leto dodged the first swipe, going under the man's guard; twisting and breaking his wrist as well. The man screamed taking a knife from his belt and lunging for the elf. Another wet crack and the dark elf had thrown the man to the ground. Two quick punches saw the last two guards on the ground unconscious as Leto grabbed Darius's hand, snatching up his robes in the process as they sprinted back towards the mansion.

Darius gasped as they ran, trying to catch his breath. He managed to keep up long enough for them to reach the breach in the wall as they ducked through. Leto checked around every corner they came to, making sure each alley was empty. Both boys eventually ended up back in the garden, rushing towards the door. Vivian looked up from where she had been sitting in the process of putting away her sewing. She frowned about to scold them when she noticed Leto's shirt was streaked with blood. Darius behind her son with a pale face as if he had seen a ghost.

"Boys, what's wrong? What happened?" Vivian pressed as they came up to her. Instead of answering Darius grabbed her and took her into the mansion with him. Leto followed behind them, blood still staining his shirt as he disappeared inside after them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Wow, it's been like, what, forever since I've updated this fic? It got put on hold when I began working on another project. I finished that one, started a sequel for same project and then got stuck. I have always meant to finish this fic. Life has just been so hectic lately…-sighs and shakes head at life- Well, the new year is right around the corner. This fic has never left the back of my mind, to be honest. I truly wish to see it get finished. _

_Oh yes, and I'm sorry the Fenris/Darius flashbacks have been going on for so long. But I just want their history together to get out there all at once so the rest of the story can proceed and we can get to the goodstuff._

Fenris rubbed his face having removed his metal gauntlets two hours ago as the mage talked. They rested on the table in front of him along with a cup of cold tea. Darius watched him with hopeful eyes as if he wished having told the dark elf what he knew might trigger the forgotten memories hiding within his mind. Fenris didn't admit it, but he had recalled certain things. Though now he wondered if it wasn't merely his imagination or truly memory. A warm autumn's day laying on the grass looking to his right to see soulful storm grey eyes gazing back at him. Almost as if…

_As if he knew him_.

Letting out a low growl Fenris clenched his fists putting his hand back down. Across from him Darius had risen to pour them both new steaming cups of tea. He watched with a mixture of apprehension. Still expecting for the small hut to be ambushed to find he had once again been tricked. Captured by yet another mage he dared to trust and hauled off back to Tevinter.

"Don't you find it ironic?" Fenris said the mage. Darius's eyes flickered to him eyes wide with surprsie at being addressed so curtly.

"Find what ironic?"

"I used to pour wine for Danarius's guests. They found my appearance frightening whenever I came close to them. Even though I was a slave, they feared me." Fenris said letting a harsh laugh escape him. Darius said nothing to this deep in thought over the matter as he sat back down across from his former friend. He dropped a cube of sugar into his tea from a small plate in between them, stirring his tea as he considered the comment.

"No offense, Fenris, but you always were bit more…frightening then most people. Even I was scared of you when we were young. And you were my best friend." Darius said quietly. He saw the dark skinned elf bristle in response to his reply. Why had he bothered to venture this far for such a long lost friend? Clearly the person sitting across from him wished nothing more than to be left alone to his own thoughts and devices.

"Why?" Fenris asked quietly his voice taking on a dangerous quality. Darius glanced up from his tea to meet smoldering jade eyes glaring back at him.

"What about me frightened you so terribly, and yet you still come to seek me out?"

Darius was unsure of what to say. He wanted to scoff, to tell Leto there had never been anything truly terrifying about him. Yet, the danger had always been there. With a sigh he shook his head focusing on the wall behind Leto's head as he answered.

"Because I knew how easily you could rid of me if I displeased you. You were always the stronger out of the both of us. I always relied on you to protect me, no one else. What kind of fool crosses the person who hold their life in their hands?" Darius answered his voice trembling on the last note. It happened faster than he could had predicted.

Fenris's tattoos flared to life as he grabbed the table flipping it out from between him and his quarry. The tea went flying the priceless china smashing on the floorboards as Darius shot to his feet nearly tripping over his chair as he stepped back from the enraged elf. A snarl was on Fenris's lips as he bared his teeth like fangs raising Mercy to eye level as he advanced on the hapless mage.

"I knew it! You're exactly like Danarius! You only want me because no one else would dare to touch you if I were near!" Fenris yelled spitting out the words like curses. To his satisfaction Darius had turned completely pale as he backed up bumping into the wall which stopped his retreat. His grip tightening on the hilt of his sword Fenris advanced considering whether he would give the mage before him a clean death or make him suffer.

"Don't Leto, you'll regret it later. When you remember." Darius whispered desperately his mouth suddenly dry. Those once familiar kind green eyes showed nothing but hatred for the person standing before him. Fenris's eyes narrowed as he glared at him his face half cast in shadow by the sword.

"I'm no longer Leto, if you haven't yet learned that, _Master Darius_." Fenris spat. With shaking fingers Darius raised his hand lightly touching the edge of the blade. He could feel the power pulsing from within it from where he stood.

"Please, Fenris, at least let me finish. There's so much you don't know. So much you have not even began to remember. Don't you want at least want your past back?" Darius pleaded with the dark elf. He saw Fenris's eyes flicker as he continued to watch him. Then with a snarl he raised his sword pressing his tip against the soft skin of the mage's throat.

"Then finish your tale, mage, before I slit your throat." Fenris hissed.

Darius swallowed dryly as he continued to talk. Knowing when he stopped his life would now be forfeit to the one standing before him.

…

Vivian kept her head bowed her shoulders shaking with sobs as in the distance she heard the slap of a whip against flesh. She flinched each time she heard it as if it were here being struck and not her son. Her heart felt as if it were breaking each time she heard Leto let out a pained cry from the beating. Wrapping herself in her own arms Vivian sobbed burying her face in her hands.

When the boys had returned Darius had been desperate rapidly explaining to the elven woman what had happened. Leto had been silent though he stood stoic by his friend's side a shield against the world. There was no helping it. Vivian herself was a slave. Their only choice lay in going to Darius's father, Danarius, and laying the matter before him.

Danarius had been silent at Darius explained what had happened. The magister listened to his son's story often stopping him to ask a question or to make sure of a certain detail. Finally, Danarius had looked at both teenage boys. His eyes roving over Leto who stood slightly behind and to the right of Darius. The position of a bodyguard.

"I understand how this must be upsetting for you, son. But there is no helping it. Leto will not be killed or maimed for protecting you. Since clearly this guards meant to do you harm. Punching a magister's son…" Danarius said stroking his beard. By now his hair showed more gray in it than it had before, though there were still streaks of black within it. Vivian had known the man for a long time. Danarius had been quite handsome once, she thought, and anyone who studied him closely enough would know this fact.

"Thank you, father. Leto was only protecting me." Darius said with a sigh of relief. Vivian watched as Danarius's eyes flickered over Leto. She saw a spark there she did not like as he admired the young dark skinned elf. Wringing her hands she stepped forward motioning to the two boys.

"Master Danarius, if you do not mind I think perhaps the young master and my son should take some rest. I'm sure lord Darius is in need of some refreshment from his ordeal. And no doubt Leto needs to contemplate to think before he acts." Vivian said shakily with a curtsy. Usually, this would have worked. Danarius would have dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand and be done with it. However, the spark of interest for Leto returned as he held up a hand to stay her.

"No, Darius is free to go. But you, young Leto, will be punished. Even if you were protecting your future master you must know never to put your hands on a citizen of the Imperium. I believe a trip to the slave quarters is in order for you." Danarius had said quite calmly.

At first the boys had been confused by what the magister meant. Only when Leto had been seperated from Darius and the his first screams of pain echoing throughout the halls did they realize what the magister had meant. Vivian had watched quietly horrified as her son followed Danarius without a word of protest following him with a blind trust he had given to Darius all his life. Only now did his loyalty betray him.

So now she cried in pain for her only son. Varania was spared having gone out to the market to run errands for one of the palace servants. It seemed like a lifetime before the screams stopped and the sobbing began, and even that too died way. Vivian waited quietly in her small room off from Darius's room for Leto to return. As it began to grow darker she distantly thought she had to start preparing dinner for the young mage. Yet she did not move from her vigil in the hallway, waiting for Leto to be brought back.

Hours passed as the room grew steadily darker as the sun sank down. Vivian hardly noticed until she spotted a warm light splash across the stone floor from behind her. Alarmed, her head whipped around wondering if it was a guard come to punish her as well. To her shock it was Darius holding a candle with one hand, in another balancing two cups of tea as he came up to her. His eyes were bloodshot as if he had been crying.

"Hello, Auntie." Darius said quietly as he came up to the small elven woman. Vivian said nothing as the young mage, a human boy who had suckled from her breast as babe, stooped over her and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. As if she were his true mother and no one else.

Placing the two cups of tea on a small table holding a vase Darius let out a soft sight of relief as he picked up the vase, gently placing it on the floor. Setting the candle in it's place as he shrugged a blanket from around his shoulders and throwing it around Vivian. She stood their completely limp as he arranged the blanket around her shoulders awkwardly.

"Auntie? Here, drink. You're cold, this will warm you up." Darius offered gently. He picked up one of the cups of tea offering it to her. Vivian kept her head bowed refusing to look at him. She did not reach for the offered drink nor acknowledge he was there. With a quiet sigh Darius placed the drink back near her elbow.

"I forgot to make you dinner." Vivian said softly shuddering under the blanket. Darius glanced at her in surprise his gaze wandering back to the dark hallway for a site of a shock of white hair.

"I'm not hungry, Auntie. I was just worried about you and Leto." Darius said quietly. His voice caught on a sob as he stared down the hallway. Vivian raised her head to gaze blearily at the young mage. She had never said so to the young man before, but he looked exactly as Danarius had when he had been young. Of course, Danarius had always had a determined look in his eye back then. Willing the challenge the very world if need be to prove himself. His sights set on ruling the Imperium itself and setting free all of a mage kind. There had even been a time he had tried to help free the elves of the Imperium. Strange, now, when she thought of how he had so many slaves of his own.

"Tell me what happened." Vivian asked him quietly. Beside her Darius balked glancing down at her with clear surprise for the second time that night.

"We did, in father's office! Those guards truly-"

"I know they hurt you, Darius. I believe that part, they laid their hands on you. What I don't believe is how easily you to got caught out there. Leto would never put you in harm's way unless he was distracted. Tell me the truth." Vivian demanded her voice that of a scolding mother as if Darius were no more than five years old.

She watched closely as Darius looked away unable to meet her gaze. Leto was able to lie to her and still met her gaze. Silently challenging her to question him. She saw the boy's turn his head away from her still staring down the hallway.

"I'm so sorry, Auntie. I never knew father would…he was just trying to protect me." Darius said his voice grim. Vivian raised her head her ears pricking up as the boy continued even though his gaze stayed fixated on the hallway.

"We were near the river and Leto embraced me. I didn't pull away, I just gave in to him. And then before I knew it were on the riverbank and we just…" Darius said trailing off. Vivian's eyes widened as she listened to the story her horror growing with each passing second. Reaching out she grasped his sleeve yanking him down to her level with a strenght even she didn't know she possessed as she searched his eyes for the answer.

"Darius, please tell me you and Leto did not-"

"No, Auntie, we didn't. We just…moved against each other." Darius answered softly his voice quivering. Before either of them could say anything more there was a low grunt as two elven serveant appeared. Between them bearing the weight of Leto an arm around each of their necks. Leto's head hung limp his hair hiding his face as blood dripped from his back spattering the stone floor.

Vivian let out a cry as she left Darius's side rushing to her son's aide. Without any gentleness the two elves dumped their injured burden onto the cold stone floor quickly turning their back to the grieving mother as they hurried away. They did not wish to be associated with the beaten elf. To do so would risk their own hides as well. Falling to her knees beside her son's prone form Vivian gently cradled his head brushing back his fine white hair. How soft it felt underneath her hands like the peach fuzz of when he was nothing more than a baby. Tears came to her face anew as she continued to stroke her son's head. Leto had blissfully passed out from the pain some time ago. Soon, however, he would wake up in a world of pain. No doubt Danarius would soon put him back to work.

"Auntie, let me help." Darius said quietly. Vivian jumped visibly shaken as she looked up at the mage. With gentle hands Darius took Leto under the arm and pulled him upright. With Vivian's help they managed to get the unconcious elf draped across his back. Leto's feet dragged slightly on the ground as Darius walked slowly but determindely back to his own room with his burden.

Vivian followed behind him wringing her hands as she watched Darius huffing and puffing all the way to her room. Finally laying Leto down gently on his side on his mother's bed in the small room. Without a second thought Vivian descended on healing her son with vigor. Quickly wiping clean the lash marks on his back even as she directed Darius to fetch her clean bandages. The wounds would heal, but the pain would linger for days. The first beating always hurt the most and more so thereafter. Even when the body had fully healed and bore the scars, so did the soul it seemed.


End file.
